• Watch: Deadlights – Glass Houses

    Lisburn alt-rock four-piece Deadlights have unveiled the video to their new single, ‘Glass Houses’. Directed by Tommy Keery of Dog Kennel Productions, the video features the band playing in what appears to be a disused warehouse, flashing lights becoming an increasing feature as the song progresses. The track- recorded and produced by Mike Mormecha of Mojo Fury at Millbank Studios and mastered by Jon Moorehead – can be downloaded via Bandcamp here. Watch the video for ‘Glass Houses’ below.

  • Inbound: The Twenty

    One of a few up-and-coming Northern Irish bands whose music straddles vehement punk and straight-up garage, underpinned with straight-up, socially conscious lyrical content, Belfast-based four-piece The Twenty embody the rigorously no-frills approach that they’ve bestowed upon their music. In the latest installment of Inbound, we catch up with their frontman Colm Warren to learn where he and the rest the band stand on influence, success and the so-called scene. Hi Colm. Firstly, how did the band first come together? Well, Paul (Leggett, guitarist) and I have been mates since school and have been writing songs together more or less since then…

  • Video exclusive: The Soft Look – Stay In the Dark

    Fresh from for his debut show in Belfast this weekend at Belfast’s Start Together studio, we have an exclusive first look of the brand new video from ex-Cutaways and Morning Claws member Paul McIver AKA The Soft Look. Now based in London, the self-proclaimed weirdo-pop musician has embarked on a considerably darker and introverted sonic journey than his previous full-band endeavours at home. ‘Stay In The Dark’ is the sixth single to be released via the Start Together Singles Club, which comes with a pocket mirror and download codes for the track and a bonus song. Buy the single –…

  • Watch: Ryan Vail – Free

    Derry electronic duo Ryan Vail (comprised of Katie Cosgrove and Vail himself) have unveiled the video to their new single, ‘Free’. Directed by Giles Labarbe, the typically shadowy and nocturnal video is, in the director’s own words, “about the freedom that one might experience while losing a connection with someone close. Its aesthetics reflect the various styles blended in Ryan Vail’s track.” Watch the video for the song – released via Champion Sound Records – below.

  • The Thin Air Belfast Music Week Showcase: Our Krypton Son, Arborist, The Wood Burning Savages & Rory Nellis

    As part of this year’s Belfast Music Week we will hold a special showcase featuring some of the country’s finest songwriting talent at Belfast’s Pavilion on Wednesday, November 13. Headlining by Derry-based singer-songwriter Chris McConaghy AKA Our Krypton Son (pictured), the bill will also feature fast-rising Belfast-based band Arborist, Derry quartet The Wood Burning Savages and frontman of Belfast indie rock band Seven Summits, Rory Nellis. Go here for the show’s Facebook event page. Doors at 8pm, £5 in.

  • EP Stream: Sea Pinks – Exploded View

    Released via frontman Neil Brogan’s own label – CF Records – Belfast band Sea Pinks have unveiled their new EP, Exploded View. Featuring the double A-Side ‘An Exploded View’ and ‘Magpies Eyes’, the release also features the tracks ‘PST’ and ‘Pretty Pass’. The follow-up to last September’s fantastic Freak Waves, the EP is limited to 100 7″s. Purchase one here. Stream (or buy) the digital EP via Bandcamp below.

  • Interview: French For Rabbits

    Ahead of their debut Belfast show at the Pavilion on Thursday, November 7 – supported by Sons of Caliber, no less – Brian Coney chats to Brooke and John from New Zealand dream-folk duo French For Rabbits about recent touring, sonic influence and their joint love of the sea. Hi guys. So, how did the band first come together? John: Hello! It all came about when we uprooted our lives in Christchurch in between earthquakes and moved to Wellington. The real reason for the move was because Brooke had decided she needed to start singing – in her previous bands she…

  • Gig of the week: Enablers, Blue Whale and Selaah @ Voodoo

    Just over five years on their resounding show at Laverys Bunker, Calfornian post-rock quartet Enablers’ show at Voodoo on Friday, November 8 is our gig of the week. Featuring the poetry and spoken word of frontman Pete Simonelli, the band are renown for their intense and altogether idiosyncratic live performances – think Slint meets Jack Kerouac. Better still, off the back of the release of 2011’s Blown Realms And Stalled Explosions, one of post-rock’s finest musicians, Doug Scharin – formerly of Codeine, HiM, June of 44, Rex and Mice Parade – is the band’s current drummer. Support on the night comes from…

  • Alarmist – Pal Magnet EP track-by-track interview

    On the day of its official release, Dublin instrumental quartet Alarmist talk us through each track on their brand new – not to mention exceptionally good – EP Pal Magnet. Read their words and stream each track individually below! Aztec Dreams In this song we were trying to be quite intense but in an unconventional way, with these old-school guitar tones and blippy melodies rather than heavy rock riffs. A couple of us had gotten really into the 1950s producer Joe Meek and his albumI Hear a New World, which is full of these twangy slapback sounds and primitive early synths, and that…

  • Silent Hill 2 – A Psychological Horror Masterpiece

    Silent Hill 2 is a masterpiece. It’s not a masterpiece in the traditional sense, where every aspect of the work is perfect. It’s a masterpiece in the sense that, despite being fundamentally broken in many ways, it still feels like a brutal, cohesive, human experience. Silent Hill 2 is not perfect – but it’s alive. This sequel is, for all intents and purposes, a reboot. Removing the B-movie cult storyline that the original was based on, Silent Hill 2 unshackles itself from the continuity of the franchise. The foggy town of Silent Hill is no longer the manifestation of tortured…