• Video Premiere: Hornets – Threads

    May 3, 2017 - By 

    On May 20, Belfast hardcore punk quartet Hornets will launch their long-awaited debut album, Witch Hunt, as part of one of the finest local heavy bills we’ve seen in quite some time. Ahead of that, we’re pleased to present an exclusive first look at the first video for a track taken from the release, ‘Threads’. Filmed and edited by band member Craig McCloskey, it’s a suitably menacing, monochrome accompaniment, driving home the track’s vengeful attack and tone. Witch Hunt is released via Solid Choice Industries on May 19.

  • Stream: Vogelbat – Lithx (feat. Sad Mermaid

    April 27, 2017 - By 

    From 2015’s ‘Miw’ right through to ‘Ovl’ – a stellar single released back in September of last year – we’ve been closely following the output of Berlin-based Kilkenny producer and soundtrack composer Dave Sheenan AKA Vogelbat. New track ‘Lithx’ continues his run in fine fashion. Featuring Sad Mermaid – who featured on both the aforementioned singles – it’s another first-rate slice of ambient-leading electronica, melding shuddering pockets of rhythm, synth swells and abstracted vocals over nigh on five minutes. We dig it. Check it out.

  • Album Premiere and Q+A: Ships – Precession

    April 27, 2017 - By 

    The product of two long years of writing, demoing, debating and recording, Dublin electronic duo Ships will release their debut album – and one of the Irish albums of the year – on Monday. Ahead of its official release, have an exclusive first listen to Precession and read our interview with Simon Cullen and Sorca McGrath from the fast-rising outfit below. What was the writing process like for the album? And are there are any overarching main themes? The songs were written over the space of two years or so and the idea of the album gathered momentum over time.…

  • Home Truths: An Interview With Lisa O’Neill

    April 27, 2017 - By 

    Ahead of her highly-anticipated appearance at Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy next Friday, May 5, Cavan folk raconteuse Lisa O’Neill talks to Brian Coney about the imprint of literature on her work, her admiration for Heaney and plans for album number four. Go here to buy tickets. Photos by Joe Laverty Hi Lisa. First off: what compels you to play HomePlace and what are your own experiences with the writing of Seamus Heaney? I’ve heard great things about HomePlace and feel honored to be invited to perform there. From what I’ve read and listened to of Seamus Heaney, I’m left…

  • Little Dragon Set For Dublin Hallowe’en Show

    April 27, 2017 - By 

    Touring in support of their recent fifth full-length studio album, Season High, Swedish electronic quartet Little Dragon will play their first Irish show in three years when they hit up Dublin’s Vicar Street on Hallowe’en night (October 31 – just in case). Tickets for the show are priced at €24.50 (incl. booking fee) and go on sale at 9am on Thursday, May 4.

  • Todd Terje Set for District 8

    April 26, 2017 - By 

    With the Irish festival and gig calendar already brimming with many must-attend events, it’s been announced that Norwegian electronic wizard Todd Terje will play a live set at Dublin’s District 8 on Friday, June 16 courtesy of Hidden Agenda. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 9am from €18 + fees. Go here for the show’s Facebook event page and here to buy tickets.

  • Carlow Arts Festival Announces 2017 Programme

    April 26, 2017 - By 

    Celebrating its 38th year, the programme for this year’s Carlow Arts Festival – which runs from June 7 to 13 – has been unveiled. Set to take place across the festival’s HQ at Carlow College, St. Patrick’s and VISUAL, as well as local landmarks, this year’s bill is full of various free events, a host of live music, visual art and, as ever, family friendly events. Amongst some of the highlights this year include recent RTE Choice Music Prize winners Rusangano Family, R.S.A.G., Stomptown Brass, as well as a world festival first: a big screen performance of Philip Glass and…

  • Stream: Skymas – BubbleDub

    April 26, 2017 - By 

    Back in September last year, Belfast duo Martin Corrigan (ex-Alloy Mental) and Nick Todd AKA Skymas released one of our Irish tracks of 2016 in the form of ‘No Easy Way Out‘. Seven months on, the pair are back with its follow-up, the equally virulent electro-rock blast of ‘BubbleDub’. Featuring none other than Stephen Leacock (Franklyn/ex-General Fiasco) on guitar, it’s a typically propulsive – and masterfully bombastic – banger from the pair, released a day ahead of supporting K-X-P at Belfast’s Voodoo as part of this year’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. Propelled by Corrigan’s chorus refrain of “solution in destruction” the…

  • Premiere: Elma – Drive

    April 26, 2017 - By 

    One of the hardest working – and masterfully diverse – musicians in the island of Ireland, Derry multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and songwriter Eoin O’Callaghan makes music both under the moniker Best Boy Grip and as part of Wake America. Adding yet another string to his sonic bow, new project Elma explores more more open-ended, soundscape-based terrain. A seven-month process in which O’Callaghan exclusively used analog gear – a Revox 77B tape machine, cello, bass and a bunch of synths – the project is predominantly instrumental in nature, but will also feature snippets of conversation with a Peruvian hermit by the name of Dolama. According to…

  • Video Premiere: Beach – Bram Toker

    April 26, 2017 - By 

    Released earlier this month, we said ‘Bram Toker’ by Dublin neo-psychedelic five-piece Beach was an effort confirming their arrival as a band to be “considered alongside fellow Irish sonic diviners The Altered Hours and Elastic Sleep“. A few short weeks later, the single – one of our favourite by Irish act this year – comes bearing a visual accompaniment, directed and animated by Ross Ryder. Have a first look at that below. Beach will play a Knockanstockan Presents show in Whelan’s on May 12, as well as their first headline in London on May 18 at the Islington.