• Watch: Robyn G Shiels – If I Were Thy Demon

    November 14, 2016 - By 

    Unveiled with the launch of a brand new website, Kilrea doom folk master Robyn G Shiels has teamed up once again with Belfast illustrator (and musician) Richard Davis for the funeral video for the former’s exceptional new single, ‘If I Were Thy Demon’. Having worked together on singles ‘Underneath The Night of Stars’ and ‘Hello Death’, it marks the third in a long-running series of collaborations between the two artists. Great as they all are, this might well be our favourite of the three to date. Get lost in the pair’s darkly netherworld.

  • Video Premiere: Hannah McPhillimy – Ruins

    November 14, 2016 - By 

    For many in the North (and quite a few others further afield) the name Hannah McPhillimy is synonymous with a very particular brand of delicately-woven, jazz-tinged indie-pop. Bearing the imprint of the likes of Feist and Daughter, the Belfast-based North Coast singer-songwriter has been on our radar for a few years now, with EPs Freedom Songs, Seeing Things and new four-track Wind Machine tracing the bloom of an artist whose craft and confidence have segued in sublime fashion. The second single to be taken from Wind Machine, ‘Ruins’ takes a philosophical look at a disintegrating relationship with both its musical and visual backdrop…

  • Stream: Marlene Enright – Alchemy

    November 11, 2016 - By 

    Beyond her work as a member of The Hard Ground, Cork’s Marlene Enright occupies a wonderfully spectral – and increasingly promising – place within the realm of Irish alt-folk and dream-pop. Conjuring the very best, inward-leaning hallmarks of acts like Mazzy Star and Sparklehorse, her new single ‘Alchemy’ is a truly accomplished effort weaving Enright’s command of forging vulnerability with mettle, all framed with some sublime production. Enright plays the following Irish dates in November and December. November 19: supporting John Blek in John Cleere’s Bar & Theatre, Kilkenny November 25: supporting John Blek in Coughlan’s Bar, Cork November 26: supporting…

  • Premiere: Mojo Fury – Trying To Get Free

    November 10, 2016 - By 

    As of noon today, it’s been 6,717,600 minutes since the first ever Mojo Fury band practice. Having released three EPs and two stellar studio albums over the space of 12 years, the Michael Mormecha-fronted band have long established themselves as one of the country’s most commanding alternative rock acts, always progressively pushing their craft into new, uniquely bombastic terrain, most recently on 2013’s The Difference Between. Ahead of headlining Spectrum Festival at Belfast’s Elmwood Hall on Saturday, we’re very pleased to present a first listen to ‘Trying To Get Free’, the long-awaited, typically emphatic new single from the Lisburn quartet. Making for…

  • Irish Tour: Jimmy Eat World

    November 16, 2016 - By 

    Arizona alt-rock legends Jimmy Eat World live at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre and Belfast’s Limelight 1. Words by Loreana Rushe, photos by Sara Marsden and Pedro Giaquinto. Olympia Theatre, Dublin You’d be forgiven for thinking it’s the early 2000s. A time when dragging the hems of extremely wide trousers adorned with bike chains through puddles was a given and people were daft enough to spend money on Limp Bizkit albums. Mention the term Emo and you’re sure to instigate mockery and jokes about MySpace fringes, but ‘Emotional Hardcore’ is it so widely associated with this image now and a far cry…

  • Watch: VerseChorusVerse – The New Paranoia

    November 11, 2016 - By 

    North Coast singer-songwriter Tony Wright AKA VerseChorusVerse is very much an artist that embodies the idea “when it rains it pours.” Aside from the release his as-of-yet untitled third solo album, he has announced that he will also publish his first book and unveil what he calls a “socio-economic/musical pilgrimage/documentary filmed in Spain next year. Ahead of that highly-anticipated flurry of activity, Wright has unveiled a pre-emptive statement in the form of ‘The New Paranoia’, a new, full-band track featuring bass from Herb Magee and drums from Andy Coles, who recorded and mixed the track. Ex-ASIWYFA axeman Wright said, “In light of…

  • Video Premiere: THUMPER – Dan The Man

    November 11, 2016 - By 

    More than most at their level, Dublin noise-pop quintet THUMPER have a knack for concocting some serious contagion with their melodies. Half-sounding like a b-side from Blur’s Modern Life Is Rubbish the band’s new single ‘Dan The Man’ is certainly no exception to that rule. Accompanied by an aptly tripped-out video by Alan McCarthy, the band have returned with ‘Dan The Man’, the second single to be taken from their Little L Records-released EP, Magnum Opuss. Have an exclusive first watch of the video below.

  • Playlist: Northern Ireland Music Prize 2016

    November 8, 2016 - By 

    On Friday, November 11, 12 Northern Irish acts will vie to be awarded this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize, essentially the Northern equivalent of the Choice Music Prize. With Downpatrick’s Ash set to received the Oh Yeah Legend Award – before playing their 1977 album in full –  shortlisted acts PORTS, Jealous of the Birds and Girls Names will also be performing on the night. Ahead of the event, we’ve compiled a Spotify playlist tracks from the 12 nominated acts, including Documenta, exmagician, Ciaran Lavery and more.

  • Outburst Queer Arts Festival 2016

    November 8, 2016 - By 

    Northern Ireland’s queer creative initiative and annual celebration of “all that is bold and lovely in the world of lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer and friends’ creative goodness” Outburst Arts Festival returns to Belfast for its tenth outing across November 10-19 with a jam-packed programme with queer theatre, music, visual arts, film, spoken word, books, poems, performance, workshops and more. With highlights including This Filthy World with the one and only John Waters, a screening of award-winning documentary Kiki with Twiggy Pucci Garçon and Chi Chi Mizrahi and a global queer trad session at The American Bar, you can check…

  • Premiere: Robyn G Shiels – If I Were Thy Demon

    November 7, 2016 - By 

    The first track to be taken from a new – as yet untitled – EP set for release this March, ‘If I Were Thy Demon’ has been something of a live staple from Kilrea singer-songwriter Robyn G Shiels for a few years now. Released in association with the ever informed Solid Choice Industries, the single – a doom folk lullaby very worthy of a repeated listen – is deathly dirge-like in its brooding Americana lilt and ill-fated sway. Set for release both digitally and in limited physical format this Wednesday (November 9) at Belfast’s Empire Music Hall, have an exclusive first listen to the track…