• Watch: Rusangano Family – Lights On

    April 6, 2016 - By 

    Following on from their hugely successful venture to SXSW in Austin, Texas in March, Limerick Hip-Hop trio Rusangano Family are set to drop their debut LP Let the Dead Bury the Dead this Friday April 8th. To whet our appetites ahead of what is set to be one of the most exciting Irish releases of the year so far from an act whose live performances have been lauded for their energy and abandon the group have gifted us with a video for new track ‘Lights On’. Lyrically, the verses by God Knows and  MuRli deal with themes of ambition, influence and the…

  • Stream: Kojaque – Sunday Roast Mixtape

    April 4, 2016 - By 

    This Sunday saw the release of Dublin hip-hop producer and MC Kojaque’s Sunday Roast Mixtape, a collection of seven tracks that add to the aspiring artist’s already striking repertoire. Kojaque – real name Kevin Smith – garnered a considerable intrigue in May of last year with the tense beauty that was ‘Midnight Flower’ along with its equally stark video which showed Smith lip-syncing with the track, head submerged underwater for its entirety. ‘Midnight Flower’ was a dark, uneasy introduction that maintained a delicate poignancy despite itself. Sunday Roast continues down much the same path, giving further cause to perhaps see Kojaque…

  • Video Premiere: Come on Live Long – For The Birds

    March 22, 2016 - By 

    Last week, Dublin based group Come on Live Long returned with their first track in several months; the lush, smooth, R’n’B infused ‘For The Birds’. The song makes good use of the band’s known strong suits, from Louise Gaffney’s hypnotic vocals, Daithi O’Connor’s subtle yet ear pricking guitar licks, to their overall penchant for tremendous dynamic shifts which lead to a feeling of both ease and empowerment when listening. ‘For The Birds’ is taken from Come on Live Long’s second LP Move As One which is due to be released this Summer. Speaking of the writing process for the new album, Gaffney…

  • Interview: Brame and Hamo

    March 16, 2016 - By 

    Over the course of the past year or so, young Sligo natives Brame and Hamo have been making waves across Europe from their new base in Berlin. Having releases on Dirt Crew, their own imprint Splendor and Squalour, and Dutch house merchants Detroit Swindle’ s Heist Recordings they have garnered an ever growing respect both at home and abroad with their brand of slick house and hip-hop with audible roots in Jazz and soul. Ahead of their brand new Kebab Dreams EP due out on the 21st of March, and their sold out gig in Galway on the 16th of March organised through local promoters TRIBE, Eoin Murray has an…

  • Stream: Brame and Hamo – Kebab Dreams EP

    March 15, 2016 - By 

    Brame and Hamo are a duo originally from Sligo who, over the course of the past year, following a relocation to Berlin have been going from strength to strength with their blend of house and hip-hop which is resolutely loyal to the genres’ links to Jazz and soul. With their seamless meshing of these styles the pair impressed labels such as Dirt Crew and Detroit Swindle’s Heist Recordings and have since put out EPs on both labels, garnering them plenty of play in label sharer’s DJ sets and an ever growing respect both in their new base and back home.…

  • Little Green Cars – Ephemera

    March 11, 2016 - By 

    Following on from Little Green Cars’ stunning debut LP Absolute Zero was always going to be a challenge. The album, which was released in 2013, was a culmination of a young band’s determined and remarkably capable work up to that point. It was rife with brittle, anxious lyrics, ambitious yet subtle musicianship and stunning vocal harmonies, and was at times almost like listening to someone speak when their nerves have lead to a jarringly frantic output. Everything they had to give was thrown at us to ensure something stuck. And it did. Thankfully, there was scarcely a note on that…

  • Maybeshewill: Not For Want Of Trying

    March 9, 2016 - By 

    In a revealing conversation touching upon the necessity of hard graft, the DIY ethic that underlines their craft, the importance of community and their final ever tour, Eoin Murray chats to English post-rock five-piece Maybeshewill. Photo: Heather Gutherie Firstly, how are you doing? What are the feelings hovering around in the Maybeshewill bus right now as you’re in the midst of this final tour? Good, thank you. Things are good here. We’re a little way in to the tour and it’s been a pretty emotional trip so far, but we’re all super positive and looking forward to the future. From what I’ve noticed,…

  • Watch: Moon City Boys – City

    March 1, 2016 - By 

    Stockholm four-piece Moon City Boys recently released their new track, ‘City’, a song which, for those of us outside of Sweden who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing them live yet, served as only the fifth piece of officially released music to come from the band. Having formed in 2011 but conscientiously taking their time before putting out a lengthy release, the group have released two 7″s to date, the Rockets/Stranger in 2014 and Let My Love Dance/Washing Machine in August 2015. Each of the songs on those releases showcased a group with clear influences taken from the likes of Jefferson Airplane (‘Washing Machine’) and The…

  • The Altered Hours w/ Girls Names & Gross Net @ Roisin Dubh, Galway

    February 29, 2016 - By 

    Should post-punk still be allowed to be a thing? Is post-punk bloody revival still a thing? Like, is it not the case that by now the innumerable expanse of bands that exist under that vague banner have managed to forge something unique and individual from those initial influences? I don’t know what we’ll call it instead. Does it matter? It’s just that it is concerning that many acts seem to bear the weight of that label, being painted with a brush that has been in need of replacing for quite some time. Some seem so ready to slump tiredly into…

  • Watch: Patrick Freeman – POWER

    February 26, 2016 - By 

    Dublin based musician Patrick Freeman‘s 2015 album Cherry Blossom Fall was a terrific debut. Recorded at Big Skin HQ in Cork where Waterford natives O Emperor have been operating from for the past couple of years, there is a similar sound permeating through his music; a blend of folk and psych rock with sprinklings of surfy Beach Boys elements there to make the whole experience all quite dreamy. Not to mention vocals that were very subtly touched up with distortion or phasers to add even more intrigue to already deft lyrics that veer on the tongue-in-cheek side. Even more tongue-in-cheek still is…