Let’s keep this short and sour: not only the most aptly-titled album of a generation but easily one of the most soul-crushingly tedious, cack-handed things you’ll ever have the utter displeasure of sitting through. Origin of Symmetry is now such an inconceivably long distance away it verges on the positively mirage-like. Zero stars. Brian Coney
Presented by Moving on Music and curated by Phil Kieran, the first ever FUSED electronica weekender will take place at Belfast’s Black Box from June 11-13. Set to bring the very best electronic music to the Cathedral Quarter venue over three days, the inaugural line-up will bring together techno, electro pop, visuals and live elements, with performances from Grumbling Fur, Andrew Weatherall, Phil Kieran and Perc. Thursday, June 11: Grumbling Fur & Helena Hamilton Friday, June 12: Andrew Weatherall [All Night] Saturday, June 13: Phil Kieran [Live] & Perc [Perc Trax] & Koichi Go to the Moving on Music website for full information.
In the latest installment of Track Record, Eilis Dillon, co-owner of Records and Relics – an antiques, vintage and record shop on Lancaster Quay in Cork city – reveals about her all-time favourite records. Photos by Brid O’Donovan. The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band This is the first album I ever became obsessed with. My parents had it at home when I was a kid. I really loved it because it had the lyrics on the back so I’d sit at home and pour over the lyrics and play it over and over again. That was my first…
In the latest installment of The Record, Cian Donohoe, drummer from Dublin folk-rock quartet Heroes In Hiding offers an insight into the writing and recording of their second EP, Decorated Absence, which is released today. Photos by Tara Thomas. “Our second EP, Decorated Absence was recorded and produced by Philip Magee. The writing and recording process was hugely different to our first EP, Hush, which was released in March last year. Hush was self-produced and recorded and then mixed by SOAK’s producer, the brilliant Declan Legge. That first EP was a much longer and more easygoing process than the one we have just…
Hands down one of our favourite songs of the year, ‘Here In The Wild’ by the Ken Griffin-fronted August Wells has been brought to life with a superb, rather touching video courtesy of Sean Nagin. Summoning the pensive, reflective chamber pop of Richard Hawley and the gloriously elongated vocals of early Ian McCullough, the song was recently released via Cork’s FIFA Records. Speaking to our writer Eoin Murray last month, Griffin – previously of Dublin indie rock band Rollerskate Skinny – said, “I chatted with Eddie (Kiely) from the label and I found his attitude very refreshing, and he seemed to genuinely love the…
Set to see more than 100 events happening in 26 different locations through Bangor, the expectedly diverse and extremely inviting programme for this year’s Open House Festival has been announced. Taking place from August 1-31, a whole range of concerts, performances, film screenings, talks, exhibitions and food events will take place. Amongst the many musical highlights this year include Sun Kil Moon (pictured) at the Marine Court Hotel, Joan Armatrading at Bangor Abbey and King Creosote at Queen’s Parade Methodist Church. Go here to check out the full listings for the festival.
With Blur, Grace Jones, FKA Twigs, Mac DeMarco and more added to the bill yesterday, this year’s Electric Picnic is shaping up to be one of the best outings for the annual Co. Laois festival in years. With many more acts yet to be revealed, Interpol, Jurassic 5, Manic Street Preachers, Belle and Sebastian, Battles, The War on Drugs, Jon Hopkins and Future Islands are also amongst the acts already announced to play this year’s festival, taking place from September 4-6 at Stradbally Estate. Go here to buy tickets to Electric Picnic 2015 and check out our Festival Mixtape for EP 2015 below.
With the turn of summer rather precariously around the corner, Dublin band Tomorrows have offered up a sun-kissed, melancholy-tinged one-track soundtrack in the form of ‘The Circle’. Conjuring the likes of the Spinto Band and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, the track follows on very nicely from the equally impressive ‘Another Life’ and ‘Free’, going that bit further and hitting home with its simple, warped pop wanderlust. We’re big fans.
Ahead of its official launch on Friday, we’re pleased to present an exclusive first listen to Decorated Absence, the second EP from Heroes in Hiding. Produced, recorded and mixed by Philip Magee, the three-track release is all-killer, no-filler folk-pop from the Dublin four-piece, fresh from their performance at Forbidden Fruit at the weekend. Ahead of an in-studio The Record with the band tomorrow – featuring an insight into the recorded and release of the EP and featuring candid shots from our photographer Tara Thomas – stream Decorated Absence in full below. Photo by Tara Thomas
Three months on from the release of eleven-minute post-punk odyssey ‘Zero Triptych’, Girls Names have re-emerged with one of the their strongest tracks to date, ‘Reticence’. With guitars returning to centre-stage from the off, the track unravels from a scourging intro to reveal a band exuding an air of confidence in the latest manifestation of their constantly evolving yet always instantly recognisable sound. Stream the track – taken from the band’s forthcoming album Arms Around a Vision – below.