• Stream: The Bonk – Songs For The Mean Time Vol. 1

    July 8, 2020 - By 

    Ahead of featuring on the first episode of Live at Guerrilla Studios tomorrow night, The Bonk have gifted us a new, typically superb EP, Songs For The Mean Time Vol. 1. Three songs “about good and bad sense,” the release finds the Phil Christie-fronted collective further distil their perfectly unpigeonholeable craft down to eight odd minutes of experimental song. Though it’s never been in doubt, The Bonk’s rep as one of the country’s most forward-pushing acts has just been doubly underscored. Delve in deep below. Songs For The Mean Time Vol. 1 by The Bonk

  • Stendhal Festival Unveil First Names For Unlocked Part 1

    July 4, 2020 - By 

    The first line-up announcement for the first-ever socially distant music festival in the history of Northern Ireland has been revealed. The first in a five-part series, Stendhal Unlocked part 1 will, pending the go-ahead in terms of COVID-19 restrictions, welcome the likes of And So I Watch You From Afar (pictured), Ciaran Lavery, Malojian, Amy Montgomery, ROE, Kíla, Ryan McMullan and many other artists to Ballymully Cottage in Limavady on August 21 and 22. Check out the current line-up for Part 1 below. With the second part of the line-up for event one, and the first half of the line-up for the second…

  • Submissions Open For NI Music Prize

    July 3, 2020 - By 

    The submission window is once again open for the Northern Ireland Music Prize. With more details to be announced regarding this year’s awards ceremony, insofar as COVID-19 restrictions is concerned, organisers have revealed that the submission window for albums and singles is open from today until Thursday, July 30th. Any eligible NI single or album must have been released between 15th July 2019 – 14th July 2020 As with last year, all eligible submissions will make up single and album longlists, which will then become two separate shortlists following a voting process carried out by various individuals in the Northern…

  • Live From Guerrilla Studios

    July 1, 2020 - By 

    Since launching back in 2011, Dublin’s Guerrilla Studios has become a vital hub in the landscape of independent Irish music. Situated under a bridged railway close to Dublin City Centre, it has produced myriad first-rate sounds from some of the country’s finest forward-pushing propositions. On Thursday, July 9, the studio space will play host to the very first episode of Live From Guerrilla Studios. The brainchild of two titans in Irish music, Ray Wingnut and John ‘Spud’ Murphy, it will feature performances from TTA favourites The Bonk and John Francis Flynn. Things kick off at 10pm from here. Stay tuned…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – July 3rd

    July 3, 2020 - By 

    It’s been a huge week, featuring new EPs from the likes of  MuRli, Arvo Party, And So I Watch You From Afar, Aislinn Logan and King Pallas, a bonus charity compilation of NI-based artists covering each other, as well as welcome returns from the likes of Fontaines DC, VerseChorusVerse, Gemma Dunleavy, Elaine Mai, Malojian, and many more. And in case you haven’t had it telegraphed by the independent acts of Ireland already today, Bandcamp are waiving all their takings until 8am on Saturday. MuRli – the CULTURE And So I Watch You From Afar – Odd Seal Successors by And So I Watch…

  • Sea Pinks Announce Indefinite Hiatus; Stream Single ‘Running Down the Clock’

    July 2, 2020 - By 

    Tomorrow, Belfast’s finest purveyors of sun-kissed jangle-pop Sea Pinks will mark 10 years in existence with a new EP. Arriving exactly a decade on from the Neil Brogan-fronted band’s debut single, ‘Japanese Knotwood’, it doubles up as an ending – an inexorable line drawn under the sand – for one of the country’s most prolific and consistently on-form bands. On the heels of its title track, we’re pleased to present a first listen to the release’s new single ‘Running Down The Clock’. Sure enough, even at the eleventh hour, Sea Pinks are a band that sound like no other. Centering on the onward march…

  • Another Love Story 2020 Cancelled

    July 1, 2020 - By 

    Another Love Story has officially announced that this year’s festival will not go ahead. The annual get-together at Killyon Manor, Co. Meath – is the latest Irish festival forced to pull the plug as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement, organisers said, “Being small and nimble, we have waited as long as we possibly could to give circumstances as much chance as possible to settle down enough to allow the freewheeling joy of our weekend at the Manor to occur. “However, given the government’s latest announcement regarding event capacities, and more importantly the ongoing risks that abound around all…

  • Celtronic 2020: Together-Apart

    June 30, 2020 - By 

    For the last 20 years, Celtronic has been a vital part of the island’s world-beating festival scene. Uniting some of the very best names in electronic music worldwide with all Ireland has to offer, its annual, forward-pushing presence in Derry has been an unwavering joy to behold. As with so many other festivals, big and small, organisers have had to think outside the box to make this year’s outing a reality. Cue Celtronic 2020: Together-Apart. Taking place online from Tuesday June 20th to Sunday July 5th, this year’s festival will feature over 100 hours of exclusive performances from more than 60…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – June 26th

    June 26, 2020 - By 

    This week’s round-up of Irish songs features new music from the wonderful, fast-rising likes of CMAT, Silverbacks, Thumper, Ailbhe Reddy, Nevvv, Goodtime John, and the comeback single from Belfast’s Charles Hurts. Silverbacks – Up The Nurses CMAT – Rodney Charles Hurts – Living Under Lockdown Squashed by Charles Hurts Thumper – Topher Grace Ailbhe Reddy – Time Difference Nevvv – Passionate/Stupid Goodtime John – Black Sunrise Hang On by Goodtime John

  • Premiere: Charles Hurts – Living Under Lockdown

    June 26, 2020 - By 

    Though there have been many reunions and recommencements in Irish music since we launched back in May 2013, none have demanded our attention more than the long-awaited return of Charles Hurts. A solo moniker of Belfast musician Philip Quinn aka Gross Net, who is also a one-third of Grave Goods and guitarist with the currently inactive Girls Names, ‘Living Under Lockdown’ arrives eight years on from his last Charles Hurts release (Blue Valentine, a stellar split with Hello Translinks? on CF/Recs). Taken from forthcoming three-track EP Squashed, which is released on July 3, it’s a typically phantasmal effort from Quinn, and a wonderfully balmy rumination…