• PUP – This Place Sucks Ass EP

    November 24, 2020 - By 

    At the beginning of 2020, Canadian pop-punks PUP were in the midst of a promotional tour for their breakthrough 2019 album,  Morbid Stuff. That album’s mix of hook-filled anthems and passionate torrents of self-deprecation made it one of the year’s best punk albums, being met with universal critical praise and a new legion of fans on both sides of the Atlantic. With the advent of COVID-19, the perennially on-the-road band no doubt found themselves at a loose end as the as the live entertainment industry came screeching to a halt. And thus, we get This Place Sucks Ass. Comprising one brand…

  • Nomadic Rituals Announce New LP Tides

    November 16, 2020 - By 

    From Slomatics and Elder Druid, to War Iron and Astralnaut, Northern Ireland is responsible for some of the finest, most thoroughly crushing sludge-doom around. Perhaps most decimating of all are Nomadic Rituals. Comprising Craig Carson, Peter Hunter and Mark Smyth, we last heard from the Belfast band back in 2017, circa the release of their “sludgy, space-evoking, cosmos-atomising” second album, Marking the Day. Three years and one reality-mangling pandemic on, the band are back with news of their third full-length, TIDES. Recorded, once again, by Niall Doran at Start Together Studios, the six-track release is headed with the typically pulverizing ‘Them’, which you can stream…

  • Red Bull and AVA Team Up For Special Max Cooper AV Show

    November 13, 2020 - By 

    Red Bull and AVA have teamed up to host a special performance by London-based Belfast producer Max Cooper. Streamed from Carlisle Memorial Church in Belfast, the homecoming performance will see Cooper bring a new AV show to the high Victorian, neo-gothic style building. Doubling up as the first electronic performance in the venue, the event will be available to AVA’s online community for free on Wednesday, November 18 at 8pm via YouTube, Facebook and the AVA website. Sarah McBriar, Creative Director of AVA said, ‘After stepping inside the building in 2015, we knew we wanted to bring a part of AVA to Carlisle…

  • Spilt Milk Festival Announce New Online Weekender

    November 16, 2020 - By 

    Spilt Milk, Sligo’s premier annual celebration of forward-thinking Irish independent music, have announced a new online weekender. Running from Friday November 27 to Sunday November 29, Transmission will feature sets from Jessica Bruen, The Clumsy Giantess & Trenchurion, Amanda Feery & Declan Synnott, The Hills Have Ears, Howlbux, Junk Drawer, Mhaol, Moving Still, Myles Manley, Ailbhe NicOireachtaigh, Brigid Mae Power, Pretty Happy, The Split Milk Sunday Brunch with Willie, Natalia & Rooster, Ten Past Seven band and Yop. Best of all, all events are free. Hop over to the Spilt Milk site for more info and the full schedule. Poster…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – November 13th

    November 13, 2020 - By 

    While not quite as stacked as Bandcamp Friday last week, it’s been another stellar week on the new music front on these shores. Featuring Strange Boy, Sorcha Richardson, Magazines, Christian Cohle and more, delve in below. Strange Boy – The Pope Jackie Beverley – Sea Glass Christian Cohle – Drown Me Slow Sorcha Richrdson – The Starlight Lounge Magazines – Pink & Blue Echo’s Bones – KH Sprints – Manifesto Columbia Mills – ‘Car Crash TV’ (Ryan Vail Remix) Trophy Wife – Art Kayleigh Noble – Ride On My Own

  • Kitt Philippa Wins Northern Ireland Music Prize

    November 12, 2020 - By 

    Belfast-based artist Kitt Philippa has won the Best Album prize at this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize. The Armagh native scooped the annual prize for their debut album, Human. As well as taking the title, they also walked away with the £3000 prize money. In the other categories, New Pagans won Best Live Act, Mark McCambride aka Arborist won Best Single for ‘Here Comes The Devil’ and Sasha Samara won the Oh Yeah Contender Award. Bap Kennedy was posthumously awarded the Oh Yeah Legend Award. Revisit Kitt Philippa’s album below. Human by Kitt Philippa

  • One of These Albums Will Win The NI Music Prize Tonight

    November 12, 2020 - By 

    Much like the RTÉ Choice Music Prize every year, the annual Northern Ireland Music Prize is almost always too close to call. This year is no different. Going online for the first time due to social distancing restrictions, this year’s shortlist is a luminous, no-filler reflection of the state of independent music in the North right now. From the Americana-tinged alt-folk of Mark McCambridge aka Arborist to the considered electronica of Phil Kieran; the shapeshifting indie rock of Belfast threesome Careerist, to the ruminative pop of Kitt Philippa, it’s a list that also features stellar albums from Our Krypton Son, Herb…

  • Remembering Lyndon Stephens (Sound of Belfast 2020)

    November 11, 2020 - By 

    One of the highlights of this year’s Sound of Belfast is a special online event celebrating the life and legacy of much-missed Belfast artist manager, label boss and mentor Lyndon Stephens. Taking place on November 11th, Remembering Lyndon Stephens will pay tribute to an industry titan and gentleman who left an indelible imprint on the landscape of Northern Irish music. Available to watch via the Oh Yeah Music Centre’s official YouTube page from 9.30pm, the event will feature a special set by Malojian with Christopher Coll and more. Sound of Belfast 2020 concludes with the Northern Ireland Music Prize on Thursday, November 12. Photo…

  • Help Musicians Announce Phase Three of Their Coronavirus Financial Hardship Funding

    November 11, 2020 - By 

    Having went above and beyond in 2020 to successfully help those in the music industry most in need, Help Musicians has announced a third phase of funding, targeted at self-employed musicians who do not qualify for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and unemployed professional musicians unable to make ends meet throughout the UK. For those who are eligible, to the extent that funds allow, HMUK will offer grant payments from the moment their application is successful to March 2021 to top-up Universal Credit payments where relevant. Where an applicant does not qualify for Universal Credit but is still experiencing significant financial hardship, an assessment, and…

  • Other Voices Announce Digital Festival Bringing It All Back Home

    November 11, 2020 - By 

    Other Voices have announced a new digital festival. The Irish live music institution today revealed details of Bringing It All Back Home, a five-day festival coming in December. Though full dates and acts are yet to be confirmed, organisers have already confirmed appearances from For Those I Love, Niamh Regan, Luz, Nealo, Rhiannon Giddens, Francesco Turrisi, Peter Broderick and Pillow Queens. As ever, sets will be performed via St James church in Dingle, West Kerry. In a statement, Other Voices founder Philip King said, ‘We are absolutely delighted that Other Voices will be going ahead in Dingle again this year,…