• Premiere: Robbie Strickland – Suffocated

    November 26, 2020 - By 

    Back in January, Dublin musician Robbie Stickland made a strong impression with ‘Lizard‘. Taken from his debut album, Warm Jeans in the Morning, it was a compelling return from an artist who is something of a cult figure in Dublin’s indie scene. Though brief, new single ‘Suffocated’ ups the ante. Clocking in at just over two minutes, it’s a masterfully lax DIY effort that – alongside material that will feature on a forthcoming EP – was recorded in a city centre apartment with a half-functioning four-track tape machine. According to Strickland, the single aims to capture “the experience that many sensitive and…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – November 20th

    November 20, 2020 - By 

    As we creep steadily closer to the end of an… interesting year, things are still very much delivering on the Irish music front. Doubling up as twelve cases in point, here are the very best tracks from the island released this week. Myles Manley – Shiteshow Cometh the Softies by Myles Manley Ryan Vail & Ruth McGinley – Chrysalim Licehead – Perfect Death Forever Perfect Death Forever by Licehead Thumper – Topher Grace (Senu Remix) Dani Larkin – Samson & Goliath Meljoann – Trophy Wife F.R.U.I.T.Y. – Not Quite Exceptional Not Quite Exceptional by F.R.U.I.T.Y. Sal Dulu – B feat.…

  • IMC Presents: Piece by Piece – Season 2

    November 17, 2020 - By 

    Six months on from its inaugural outing, Improvised Music Company have announced the second installment of their online concert series Piece By Piece. A unique musical ‘chain letter’ of online improvisation, with eight forward-pishing artists from Ireland creating new work in sequence, the new series will kick off on November 27 with guitarist and electronic music artist Aengus Hackett AKA Penji. “With a fresh impetus for this second season of Piece by Piece, the principle of interconnectedness will continue, with each artist’s performance influencing or inspiring the next,” organisers said, “Piece by piece, artists will create new improvised work, based on…

  • Nomadic Rituals Announce New LP Tides

    November 16, 2020 - By 

    From Slomatics and Elder Druid, to War Iron and Astralnaut, Northern Ireland is responsible for some of the finest, most thoroughly crushing sludge-doom around. Perhaps most decimating of all are Nomadic Rituals. Comprising Craig Carson, Peter Hunter and Mark Smyth, we last heard from the Belfast band back in 2017, circa the release of their “sludgy, space-evoking, cosmos-atomising” second album, Marking the Day. Three years and one reality-mangling pandemic on, the band are back with news of their third full-length, TIDES. Recorded, once again, by Niall Doran at Start Together Studios, the six-track release is headed with the typically pulverizing ‘Them’, which you can stream…

  • Red Bull and AVA Team Up For Special Max Cooper AV Show

    November 13, 2020 - By 

    Red Bull and AVA have teamed up to host a special performance by London-based Belfast producer Max Cooper. Streamed from Carlisle Memorial Church in Belfast, the homecoming performance will see Cooper bring a new AV show to the high Victorian, neo-gothic style building. Doubling up as the first electronic performance in the venue, the event will be available to AVA’s online community for free on Wednesday, November 18 at 8pm via YouTube, Facebook and the AVA website. Sarah McBriar, Creative Director of AVA said, ‘After stepping inside the building in 2015, we knew we wanted to bring a part of AVA to Carlisle…

  • Spilt Milk Festival Announce New Online Weekender

    November 16, 2020 - By 

    Spilt Milk, Sligo’s premier annual celebration of forward-thinking Irish independent music, have announced a new online weekender. Running from Friday November 27 to Sunday November 29, Transmission will feature sets from Jessica Bruen, The Clumsy Giantess & Trenchurion, Amanda Feery & Declan Synnott, The Hills Have Ears, Howlbux, Junk Drawer, Mhaol, Moving Still, Myles Manley, Ailbhe NicOireachtaigh, Brigid Mae Power, Pretty Happy, The Split Milk Sunday Brunch with Willie, Natalia & Rooster, Ten Past Seven band and Yop. Best of all, all events are free. Hop over to the Spilt Milk site for more info and the full schedule. Poster…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – November 13th

    November 13, 2020 - By 

    While not quite as stacked as Bandcamp Friday last week, it’s been another stellar week on the new music front on these shores. Featuring Strange Boy, Sorcha Richardson, Magazines, Christian Cohle and more, delve in below. Strange Boy – The Pope Jackie Beverley – Sea Glass Christian Cohle – Drown Me Slow Sorcha Richrdson – The Starlight Lounge Magazines – Pink & Blue Echo’s Bones – KH Sprints – Manifesto Columbia Mills – ‘Car Crash TV’ (Ryan Vail Remix) Trophy Wife – Art Kayleigh Noble – Ride On My Own

  • Kitt Philippa Wins Northern Ireland Music Prize

    November 12, 2020 - By 

    Belfast-based artist Kitt Philippa has won the Best Album prize at this year’s Northern Ireland Music Prize. The Armagh native scooped the annual prize for their debut album, Human. As well as taking the title, they also walked away with the £3000 prize money. In the other categories, New Pagans won Best Live Act, Mark McCambride aka Arborist won Best Single for ‘Here Comes The Devil’ and Sasha Samara won the Oh Yeah Contender Award. Bap Kennedy was posthumously awarded the Oh Yeah Legend Award. Revisit Kitt Philippa’s album below. Human by Kitt Philippa

  • One of These Albums Will Win The NI Music Prize Tonight

    November 12, 2020 - By 

    Much like the RTÉ Choice Music Prize every year, the annual Northern Ireland Music Prize is almost always too close to call. This year is no different. Going online for the first time due to social distancing restrictions, this year’s shortlist is a luminous, no-filler reflection of the state of independent music in the North right now. From the Americana-tinged alt-folk of Mark McCambridge aka Arborist to the considered electronica of Phil Kieran; the shapeshifting indie rock of Belfast threesome Careerist, to the ruminative pop of Kitt Philippa, it’s a list that also features stellar albums from Our Krypton Son, Herb…

  • Remembering Lyndon Stephens (Sound of Belfast 2020)

    November 11, 2020 - By 

    One of the highlights of this year’s Sound of Belfast is a special online event celebrating the life and legacy of much-missed Belfast artist manager, label boss and mentor Lyndon Stephens. Taking place on November 11th, Remembering Lyndon Stephens will pay tribute to an industry titan and gentleman who left an indelible imprint on the landscape of Northern Irish music. Available to watch via the Oh Yeah Music Centre’s official YouTube page from 9.30pm, the event will feature a special set by Malojian with Christopher Coll and more. Sound of Belfast 2020 concludes with the Northern Ireland Music Prize on Thursday, November 12. Photo…