• Premiere: Ferals – The Low

    February 5, 2019 - By 

    The island of Ireland has always batted out out of its league when it comes to riff-fuelled post-rock. Right up there with the acts flying the flag in the North right now is Belfast-based threesome Ferals. Listing Foals, Biffy Clyro, Deftones and North Coast instrumental machine And So I Watch You From Afar as their main influences, the Zool Records-affiliated band have re-emerged with their new single, ‘The Low’. Doubling up as the band’s strongest single effort to date – and accompanied with a suitably emphatic video – the song strikes a fist-clenched mid-point between low-end riff slinging, gang vocals…

  • Alice In Chains Set For Dublin and Belfast Shows

    February 4, 2019 - By 

    Legendary Seattle band Alice In Chains will play two Irish shows in the Spring. Taking place as part of a broader UK and Irish tour, the band will play Dublin’s Olympia Theatre on Monday, May 20 and Belfast’s Telegraph Building on Tuesday, May 21st. Tickets go on sale this Friday (February 8) at 9am.

  • Isobel Anderson and Alliance for Choice Launch #IMALIFE Fundraiser

    February 1, 2019 - By 

    Belfast-based musician Isobel Anderson has teamed up with Northern Irish abortion rights organisation Alliance for Choice for an important fundraiser, #imalife Centering around one woman’s account of her journey to England to have an abortion, her song ‘_4284_ / I’m A Life’ – titled after the number of women who travelled from NI and ROI to access abortions in 2015 – doubles up as a powerful and incredibly well presented accompaniment to the appeal. “This money is vital to enable us to deliver workshops across Northern Ireland and GB,’ Alliance for Choice said. “Those we have done so far have made a tangible…

  • Premiere: Winterlude – Winterlude II

    February 1, 2019 - By 

    Winterlude is an occasional song outlet of Neil Brogan, better known as the singer and guitarist of Belfast’s perennial bittersweet janglers Sea Pinks (who released 7th album, Rockpool Blue, back in September). But were Sea Pinks tend towards vibrant colour, Winterlude is a much more muted, understated prospect. Following on from 2015’s Four Songs, now available for the first time on all digital outlets, the two new songs on Winterlude II strip things right back. Brogan’s voice floats over a murmured Spanish guitar on ‘Thrown Chorus’, before pulling back to reveal a barren panorama of double tracked cello and skeletal piano. ‘Frozen Lake (Fade)’ is even more sparse sounding, just…

  • Album Premiere: Empire Circus – Tí

    January 31, 2019 - By 

    Dublin quartet Empire Circus are a band whose accessible, yet eclectic indie-pop craft bears the imprint of influences including Wilco, Beck, The War on Drugs, R.E.M. and even early Peter Gabriel (always a plus in our eyes Founded in 2012, their self-titled debut album – which was released in September of 2013 – confined within its twelve tracks real promise, and an FM-leaning, carefully-crafted sound that hinted at something more substantial with the passing of time and the creative maturation that accompanies that. Tomorrow (February 1) the band release its long-awaited follow-up, Tí. And sure enough, it’s a cohesive and accomplished release that trims Empire…

  • Premiere: Larry – Cocker Spaniel

    January 31, 2019 - By 

    As you may have recently noticed, we’re firmly of the opinion that Dundalk lo-fi alt-rock trio Larry are going places in 2019 and beyond. The first single from the band’s forthcoming, Steve Albini-produced (and Bob Weston-mastered) debut album, ‘Cocker Spaniel’ could not sum up our collective conviction more. Accompanied by a wonderful video, featuring pro-quality camera work from an actual cocker spaniel, called Jesse, it’s a fervent, four-minute paean to freedom and psychic wanderlust. Have a first look and listen below. Larry’s debut album will be released via Pizza Pizza records on April 26th. ‘Cocker Spaniel’ is officially out tomorrow.

  • 19 for ’19: Tebi Rex

    January 31, 2019 - By 

    We continue 19 for ‘19 – our feature looking at nineteen Irish acts that we’re convinced are going places in 2019 – with Maynooth alternative hip-hop duo Tebi Rex. Photo by Zoe Holman Maynooth’s hip-hop scene may not be bulging, but on the evidence of Tebi Rex’s offerings, we believe it truly homes one of Ireland’s most exciting prospects for 2019. The duo, comprised of Matt O’Baoill and Max Zanga, has swiftly attracted attention following the success of ‘Black Enough’ in 2016, with Word Up signing them to their newly launched collective. Although the collective nurtures hip-hop talent whose music…

  • Details of Conor Walsh Album Announced

    January 28, 2019 - By 

    Details of the release of new music by much missed Mayo artist Conor Walsh has been announced. Called “an album for his fans”, The Lucid will be released on double-sided vinyl on the third anniversary of his death, on Monday, March 11, with pre-sales available via Bandcamp rom February 14. Side A of the album, we’re told, contain acoustic melodies, while Side B comprises electronic material. The stripped-back release was inspired by composers including Hauschka, Aphex Twin and Nils Frahm. Conor’s sister, Fiona Walsh, who helped to bring the project together said: “This album is for his fans and by…

  • Cardi B, Vince Staples, Anne-Marie and More For Longitude

    January 28, 2019 - By 

    Cardi B and Vince Staples are among the twelve new names added to the bill for this year’s Longitude. Also joining the likes of Chance the Rapper, A$AP Rocky, Future, Brockhampton and Rae Sremmurd are new additions Anne-Marie, Gunna, Trippie Redd, Flatbush Zombies, AJ Tracey, JPEGMAFIA, J.I.D, Jimothy, H.E.R and Joey Purp. Cardi B will join Future as a headliner on Sunday night. Longitude takes place across July 5-7. Day-to-day breakdowns will be revealed in the coming weeks. Ranging from €79.50 to €199.50, tickets are on sale now.

  • Sonic Youth: 30 Years of Daydream Nation @ Irish Film Institute

    January 28, 2019 - By 

    On Saturday, March 2nd, Dublin’s Irish Film Institute will host a special screening of Lance Bangs’ Sonic Youth: 30 Years of Daydream Nation. Celebrating the recent thirtieth anniversary of the seminal album, the event will also feature Bangs (director of Slint documentary Breadcrumb Trail) and Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley presenting programme of films related to the album, which will include excerpts from the Bangs-directed concert film along with documentaries Put Blood In The Music and On Rust. Tickets are priced at €16 and can be bought here.