• Toby Kaar Announces Debut EP Release Date, Streams New Track ‘SnapDragon’

    January 12, 2016 - By 

    The above photo of Cork producer Toby Kaar couldn’t be further representative of our reaction when we discovered today he’s set to released his debut EP, the interestingly-titled via Dublin imprint Music Is For Losers on March 18. Having been weaving some magisterial electronic sounds for the last few years, the news will be very happily-received from Kaar, who also released the spiralling ‘SnapDragon’ from the release today. Speaking about the release, Kaar said, “The EP was made on a 9 year old computer, which has started to pack in. A lot of the samples were things I found in libraries, pretty basic…

  • Watch: New Solar Bears Album Trailer

    January 12, 2016 - By 

    Having had the head down over the last while, Dublin electronic duo John Kowalski and Rian Trench AKA Solar Bears have unveiled a trailer for their hugely anticipated third album, Advancement. Set for release via Rob Da Bank’s Sunday Best Recordings in March 18, the album – which took a year to make – was recorded in various locations and, according to the label, “[emphasises] the sonic quality of different spaces, plus incorporating and manipulating indigenous instruments to “[mirror] the widespread decay of the natural world.” Sounds pretty sweet, eh? Peer further behind the veil via the album trailer below. Photo by Dorje De Burgh

  • Stream: exmagician – Job Done

    January 8, 2016 - By 

    If there’s one Irish album we’re nigh on pant-wettingly excited for this year it’s Scan The Blue by Belfast’s exmagician. A titular (and slight member) shift from the embers of Cashier No. 9, the project has had us quietly agog since the release of their debut EP Kiss That Wealth Goodbye via Bella Union in November. A perfectly crafted, psych-laced alt-pop gem, the band’s new single ‘Job Done’ distils Danny Todd and James Smith’s prismatic mastery to four all-too-fleeting minutes. As you might have guessed, we’re big fans. WordPress code More options

  • Video Premiere: Bosco Ramos – SNKSWM

    January 8, 2016 - By 

    Previously called GIRL, experimental Belfast duo Bosco Ramos are just one of a number of acts in the city making some first-rate fervent noise at the minute. Recorded with R51’s Jonny Woods at Start Together studio in late 2015, the pair’s seismic new single ‘SNKSWM (Sink Swim)’ – their first official release – is accompanied by a video courtesy of Niall Lawlor and Brendan Seamus. Have an exclusive first look at that below.

  • 16 For 16: Owensie

    January 7, 2016 - By 

    In the very first installment of 16 For ’16 – a feature in which we preview sixteen of our favourite Irish acts that we’re absolutely convinced will do spectacular things in 2016 – Brian Coney lauds Dublin lo-fi folk singer-songwriter Michael Owens AKA Owensie. Photo by Tara Thomas With his sublime third album, Dramamine, having very deservedly ranked at number two in our Top 50 Irish Releases of 2015, Dublin songsmith Michael Owens AKA Owensie taps into a introspective realm betraying the hallmarks of a master in the making. Released via Out on a Limb records in November, his latest release is – as we said in…

  • Abner Brown’s Celebration of Women In Music

    January 7, 2016 - By 

    Set to take place from January 16 to February 18, Dublin barbershop Abner Brown’s will host a month-long celebration of women in Irish music. Supported by Musicmaker and Canalaphonic, the showcase will feature shows from some of the best independent female musicians in Ireland including Naoise Roo, Mongoose, Sinead White, Grainne Hunt, I am Niamh, Katie Laffen and Carron, as well as well as legendary Pogues’ bassist and musician Cait O Riordan, TXFM’s Claire Beck and promoter/manager Una Molloy talking of their experiences and careers in the industry. All shows are free but there will be donations each night from The Women’s…

  • Stream: Little Green Cars – The Song They Play Every Night

    January 7, 2016 - By 

    Laced with pathos in all the right places, ‘The Song They Play Every Night’ is the wonderful lead single from Dublin five-piece Little Green Cars‘ second album, Ephemera. Swooning, brittle and impossibly earnest, the track – driven by Stevie Appleby’s exquisite, whole-hearted delivered – taps into the all often unspoken world of loss and recovery. Top drawer. Ephemera will be released on March 11.

  • Dublin Bowie Festival 2016

    January 7, 2016 - By 

    If there’s three better consecutive words than Dublin Bowie Festival we haven’t heard them. Making its inaugural outing at The Grand Social on Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10, it will celebrate Davy Jones’ musical towering legacy via “live performances, banter, movies, table quiz, collectors merch and more.” With Bowie’s highly-anticipated twenty-fifth album Blackstar set for release the day before the festival’s launch, this is a perfectly-timed opportunity to revisit a bona fide music legend. Go here for more info.

  • Second Quarter Block Party Line-up Announced

    January 7, 2016 - By 

    Having made their first announcement back in December, Cork’s Quarter Block Party have revealed a slew of new acts and events set for their 2016 outing from February 5-7. Amongst the new additions is Cathy Walsh’s Running Up That Hill, a celebration of feminism equality and solidarity. Provoked by the #wakingthefeminists movement and inspired by Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’, the people of Cork City will march through the streets and dance together in celebration on North Main Street, the historic spine of the city. Elsewhere, Abigail Conway’s participatory installation Time Lab will ask visitors to “dismantle a wristwatch or clock and reconstruct…

  • 2016 Choice Music Prize Shortlist Announced

    January 6, 2016 - By 

    With The Gloaming proving well-deserved victors last time round, the shortlist for this year’s Choice Music Prize has been announced. Set to be selected by an industry judging panel at Dublin’s Vicar Street on Thursday, March 3, the following albums are all vying for the prize: Girl Band – Holding Hands with Jamie (Rough Trade) HamsandwicH – Stories From The Surface (Route 109A Records) Gavin James – Bitter Pill (Warner Music Ireland) Jape – This Chemical Sea (Faction Records) Le Galaxie – Le Club (Universal Music Ireland) Colm Mac Con Iomaire – And Now The Weather (Plateau) Roisin Murphy – Hairless…