• EP Stream: Astralnaut – Thieves, Beggars and Swine

    May 14, 2014 - By 

    The follow-up to their strong second EP, In The Gaze of the Gods, Nothern Irish stoner rock five-piece Astralnaut are streaming the behemothic triumph that is its follow-up, Thieves, Beggars and Swine. Evoking everyone from Orange Goblin, Fu Manchu and Electric Wizard, the five-track release – driven by blistering riffs, grooves and Pearse Donnelly’s pronouncements – was largely recorded by Alan Hanlon at Hi-Tone Studios and Clark Phillips (Great Northern Productions). It was mixed and mastered by the band and Clark Phillips over the last four months. Stream the EP in full via Soundcloud below.

  • Stream: Enemies – Embrace, Embark remix EP

    May 13, 2014 - By 

    Kilcoole math-rock three-piece Enemies have released a remix EP of tracks taken from their second full length studio album, Embrace, Embark. Released by Heavyweight Records, it features six rather tidy re-imaginings of the likes of ‘Love Unlimited’ and ‘Nighthawks’ by Eoin Whitfield AKA SIATS and James Eager AKA itsallwaves. The original album – the follow-up to the band’s debut album, We’ve Been Talking – was released in May last year. Speaking about the release, Lewis Jackson from the band said, “We wanted to find a way of celebrating the year anniversary of Embark, Embrace. That might come across as a little self indulgent but we all…

  • More acts announced for Electric Picnic 2014

    May 13, 2014 - By 

    Twenty-one new acts including Blondie and Scottish post-rock band Mogwai (pictured) have been announced to played this year’s Electric Picnic festival. Amongst the other new additions set to play at the annual Stradbally Estate festival from Friday, July 29 to August 31 are Sinead O’Connor, James Murphy, Kelis, Neneh Cherry, The Horrors, Duke Dumont, Twin Shadow, Ham Sandwich, Clean Bandit, Drenge, The Orwells, Glass Animals, Wolf Alice, The Districts, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Vancouver Sleep Clinic, Vaults, Benjamin Booker and Moko. With more acts still to be announced, check out the current Electric Picnic 2014 poster below and buy tickets here.

  • Open House Festival 2014

    May 13, 2014 - By 

    We’re big fans of Open House Festival and how they do things here at the Thin Air. With an extraordinarily tasteful penchant for the very best in folk, roots and Americana, the team have brought us some unforgettable shows ranging from the likes of Bob Log III, Deer Tick, John Grant to Lower Dens, Cold Specs and Old Crowd Medicine Show. As well as one-off shows and happenings scattered across the years, Open House really flaunts its wares with its annual festival events. This summer they will present two festivals, a Belfast festival and a Bangor Festival. The former, taking place from June 18…

  • Watch: Little Matador – Reasons

    May 12, 2014 - By 

    The follow-up to their debut single ‘Stitch Yourself Up’, alt-rock five-piece Little Matador have unveiled the video for their new single, ‘Reasons’. Directed by Liz Robinson and Kevin Hylands, the video features the band’s frontman Nathan Connolly ending up in a boxing ring with two-time world champion female boxer Lisa Anderson. Although the above screenshot from the video might give you a slight idea, we won’t give away the ending. Little Matador play the following dates in June and July: June 27 – Cyprus Avenue, Cork June 28 – Royal Hospital, Dublin (supporting Biffy Clyro) June 29 – Sea Sessions Festival,…

  • VerseChorusVerse – VerseChorusVerse

    May 8, 2014 - By 

    “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” So reads the opening line from L.P. Hartley’s 1953 novel, The Go-Between. Touching on the innocence of childhood and its loss, family life and more, it’s a classic in excavating the oft smoggy wasteland that is the past. For many artists, however, the most rewarding way of confronting what has come before is to delve, headstrong, into the immediate present; carefully side-stepping the grasp of nostalgia whilst following an inner path. For Tony Wright AKA singer-songwriter VerseChorusVerse, this is something that he has, for the most part, bravely and…

  • Stream: No Monster Club – Rock N’ Roll Kids

    May 8, 2014 - By 

    Ireland has always had something of intimate relationship with the whole Eurovision phenomenon. From first winning it back in 1965, we’ve won it a record seven times, including three times in a row in 1992, 1993 and 1994. The latter of those “successes” fell to ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids’, performed by Paul Harrington. Twenty years on – and ahead of the 59th annual Eurovision on Saturday night – Dublin indie rock trio No Monster Clubhave decided to put their own spin on that song. Sound slightly dodgy? Think again. The track – clocking in at just under three minutes – is given a scuzzy lo-fi…

  • Watch: GO WOLF – One More Night

    May 8, 2014 - By 

    Set to support Wild Beasts at Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival tonight (May 8), Belfast-based indie-pop band GO WOLF have unveiled the video to their new single, ‘One More Night’. Directed by Babysweet, the video features three female actresses “being” GO WOLF, with the band lending a helping hand along the way. Pretty cool concept, we reckon. Recorded and produced by Rocky O’Reilly at Start Together Studios, Belfast, ‘One More Night’ was mastered by Robin Schmidt. Watch the video for the single below.  

  • Longitude Festival 2014

    May 7, 2014 - By 

    Following the success of its inaugural year in 2013, Longitude will return to Dublin’s Marlay Park this summer with an extremely strong and varied line-up. As well as Irish acts including Tvvins, Le Galaxie, We Cut Corners and Adultrock, Ben Howard, Massive Attack, HAIM, Bombay Bicycle Club and The Afghan Whigs are amongst the many acts set to play over three days – from Friday, July 18 to Sunday, July 20 – this summer. See the current poster for Longitude 2014 below. Go here to buy tickets for this year’s Longitude festival and stream Longitude’s Spotify Playlist below!

  • More acts announced for Sunflower Fest

    May 7, 2014 - By 

    With the likes of the Bonnevilles and Pocket Billiards already confirmed, several new acts have been announced to play this year’s Sunflower Fest. With more bands and artists to be announced, Million $ Reload (pictured), Wonder Villains, Mutefish, Michael Mormecha, Henry Cluney Band, Amanda St John, Magwere, Suzanne Savage Quartet, Go Swim, More Dogs Barking, Love Street and High Flying Words are the latest additions to the annual Hillsborough festival, taking place from August 22-25. Go here to buy tickets for the festival and watch the latest video by Go Swim below.