• Inbound: HART

    October 4, 2023 - By 

    From Sheffield to Bangor in Northern Ireland, UK producer HART is blending dusty boom-bap and sweaty-basement garage to enthralling effect. The artist’s debut LP, Moon Jazz, focused on the romance between jazz and hip-hop, lending influence from the trip-hop sounds of Bonobo and Massive Attack. But as the seasons change and winter lets go of its cold embrace she finds herself meandering towards the memories and influence from the underground parties of the Steel City. “I started producing when I was in Australia,” she says, “but I’ve been really into music since I moved to Sheffield. It’s got a big…

  • girlfriend. Announce Long-Awaited Debut LP

    October 4, 2023 - By 

    It’s been a minute since we featured girlfriend. as an Inbound act. Seven years on, the Dublin alternative trailblazers, in their final form as a fully-fledged five-piece, have announced details of their long-awaited (and legitimately highly-anticipated) debut album. Off the back of recent singles including ‘In Silence’ and ‘Trust,’ they will release the 14-track To Be Quiet digitally and on vinyl on Halloween. Recorded, produced and mixed by Peter Ashmore at Orphan Studios, Hellfire Studios and Rose Cottage Studio last year, the album is available to pre-order now. Posting on social media, the band wrote: “We’re ecstatic to finally announce…

  • Live Line-Up Announced for NI Music Prize 2023

    October 4, 2023 - By 

    The live line-up has been announced for this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize. The annual awards ceremony – which recognises the very best in NI music, primarily through its Best Album award – returns to the Ulster Hall in Belfast on Wednesday, 15th November. Performing on the night is another wonderfully eclectic mix from several shortlisted acts, from Chalk, Problem Patterns and Winnie Ama, to Ferna, The Florentinas and Conor Mallon. There will also be a special performance from the recipient of this year’s Oh Yeah Legend Award, Paul Brady. The news comes just over a month before the return…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 29th September

    September 29, 2023 - By 

    From every corner of the island, here’s the very best new music of the week, from Jape, Negro Impacto and Super Extra Bonus Party, to Ex-Isles, Lucy Gaffney and beyond   Photo by Sean McMahon   Jape – Endless Thread Endless Thread by Jape Negro Impacto – Maybe Super Extra Bonus Party – Feather Helmet Repertoire Late Nite 99 by Super Extra Bonus Party Lucy Gaffney – Boy Go Loud Motive – What It Feel Like Ex-Isles – Domestic Sacraments Domestic Sacraments by Ex-Isles Strange Boy – For A Man To Be Content Anderson Nightmare – Great Moon Landing –…

  • Dreaming In Another Language: An Interview with Arborist

    September 28, 2023 - By 

    Riding a wave following the release of his stellar third album, Mark McCambridge chats with Cathal McBride about subtlety, sold-out shows and winning over BBC 6 Music Photos by Jane Donnelly When Arborist managed to entice US indie rock royalty Kim Deal, of Pixies and Breeders fame, to sing backing vocals on debut single ‘Twisted Arrow’ back in 2014, one could easily have assumed this was an early peak that would be impossible to top. In actual fact, the project of Belfast-based Ballymena man Mark McCambridge has only gone from strength to strength ever since, scooping NI Music Prize nominations…

  • Now Press Play: A Festival of Music on Film

    September 23, 2023 - By 

    Not content with programming one of the island’s most consistently rewarding annual festivals, the good people behind Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival have announced details of a new, 4-day mini-festival celebrating the inner and outer reaches of music on film. Running from 26-29 October, Now Press Play features unearthed gems, forgotten legends and grand celluloid follies, taking in some of the greatest documentaries, concert films or musical movies you’ve never seen, not to mention old favourites and new releases. Among the many highlights are Northern Irish premieres for acclaimed documentaries Syd: Have you Got it Yet – the long-awaited Syd…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 22nd September

    September 22, 2023 - By 

    It’s another absolutely stacked week for Irish week, with top-tier new releases from Rachael Lavelle, ØXN, Hilary Woods, David Holmes, I Dreamed I Dream and more Photo by Kate Lawlor Rachael Lavelle – Big Dreams ØXN – Cruel Mother Hilary Woods – Where the Bough Has Broken David Holmes – Necessary Genius feat. Raven Violet Cathal Francis – Go On I Dreamed I Dream – Apparition Dark Tropics – Carnival Sorcha Richardson – Map of Manhattan Conchúr White – I Did Good Today McKowski – Notes From the Boneyard Vol1 Notes From The Boneyard Vol 1 by McKowski Celaviedmai –…