• Video Premiere: The Bonk – Trying On Oblivion

    December 12, 2022 - By 

    Long one of our favourite acts in Ireland, The Bonk‘s modus operandi is endlessly fascinating, playful experimentation in song and improvisation, led by (former O Emperor) songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Phil Christie. Gathering influences from 60’s garage, jazz and experimental pop, the band bring recursive rhythms and improvised melodies together in minimalist song forms. Their first record, 2017’s The Bonk Seems To Be A Verb had a limited cassette run through label thirtythree-45, and was a collection of one-off live studio takes patched together from various sessions over an 18-month period. Today, we’re pleased to announce that for their second long player, the Bonk have again teamed up with the thirtythree-45 imprint…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 30th September

    September 30, 2022 - By 

    In another excellent week of Irish music, dig into the best new sounds of the past seven days, including The Mary Wallopers, Fujiya & Miyagi feat. Everything Shook, banríon, Bedrooms, HamsandwicH and more. The Mary Wallopers – Cod Liver Oil and The Orange Juice banríon – dare to crush EP fooling by banríon Actual Acid – Half Time Bedrooms – huffing huffing by Bedrooms AILSHA – R.I.P. (Dead 2 Me) Paddy Hanna – Nightmares Imagine I'm Hoping by Paddy Hanna Ali Comerford – Cool Girl Pádraig Cooney – Centuries of Learning Centuries of Learning by Padraig Cooney This Throat – I sent it…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 12th August

    August 12, 2022 - By 

    With new EPs and albums from the likes of Elaine Howley and God Knows, and some incredible new singles from the likes of Anna Mieke, Stratford Rise, Kyoto Love Hotel and more, get a look at our picks of the week. Elaine Howley – The Distance Between Heart and Mouth The Distance Between Heart And Mouth by Elaine Howley Kyoto Love Hotel – Settling (July) Settling (July) by Kyoto Love Hotel Local Boy – Get Up (Out of Bed) Stratford Rise – Water Running Through Faucet Anna Mieke – For A Time God Knows – We Move The Needle EP…

  • Album Premiere: Arthur Itis – Neglected Ambient Shirts Vol. II

    July 20, 2022 - By 

    Six years on from Neglected Ambient Shirts Volume 1, and an incalculable amount of transmogrifications later, Arthur Itis is back with the sequel, and sure enough, it’s another belter. Following the glitchy experimental pop of Occam’s Razor and intimate analog hiss of acoustic collection Longhand, it’s his third LP in about 8 months. Recording took place across the last five years, and ahead of its release tomorrow, we’re delighted to reveal it in its entirety today. Another curveball in a career full of them, its downtempo experimentations reveal the one constant across Arty’s not-insignificant body of work: a resolute willingness to document and push his own creative and personal…

  • Monday Mixtape – The Music Tapes

    July 4, 2022 - By 

    Formed in the 90s by Julian Koster of the hugely influential Elephant 6 collective’s Neutral Milk Hotel and Olivia Tremor Control – experimental indie project The Music Tapes are set to perform their first shows in four years in Ireland this week. Blending musique concrète, narrative storytelling, homespun recording techniques and homemade instrumentation, the performance will see Koster accompanied by a 7ft dancing, trombonist polar bear. Jerry Lewis – Boardroom Scene  From the mid century movie the Errand Boy. Gosh it’s a kind of genius at its peak. Disiz – Casino From his new Album. I really loved his last one. His music often makes…

  • Art For Blind & The Model Present Out Of Step Weekender

    May 26, 2022 - By 

    Over this weekend of 27th-29th May, Out of Step – a festival curated by Art for Blind for their residency at The Model, Sligo – will unfold through film, music performance, conversation and workshops. Underground tastemakers par excellence, Art for Blind continue to explore Ireland’s rich multidisciplinary cultural fabric. The aim of their residency at Sligo venue – also home to the Niland Collection – has been to explore the programming of artists and musicians from diverse social, economic and geographical backgrounds. This weekender, its title inspired by the iconic Minor Threat song, expands the residency into the realm of film offering a view from the…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 20th May

    May 20, 2022 - By 

    Another great week of Irish music sees new releases from the established likes of SOAK, Fixity, Talos Sean Being and Melts, while some debut singles & EPs drop from Yard and Pastiche. Fixity – Always Again [feat. Philip Christie] Sean Being – Faux Window FAUX WINDOW by Seán Being Yard – Lawmaker Melts – Spectral SPECTRAL by MELTS Soak – Swear Jar Talos – Dance Against the Calm Pastiche – Freak Show Symphony EP

  • Robocobra Quartet Announce Empire Belfast Headline Show

    May 4, 2022 - By 

    It’s six weeks until the release of Robocobra Quartet‘s third album Living Isn’t Easy, and amidst their jaunts across Europe and Ireland to play some truly incredible bills, they’ve announced their biggest hometown headline show to date to celebrate the release, set to take place at Belfast’s Empire Music Hall on October 7. This follows headline dates at the Limerick’s Kasbah Social Club on September 15th and Whelan’s Upstairs on September 17th. Nathan from the band says “We’ll be coming out of a busy summer of festivals and it will be a special moment to have a proper celebration of the album in a…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – April 29th

    April 29, 2022 - By 

    From improvised ambient works to midwestern emo bangers here are our tracks of the week, featuring Natalia Beylis, Mob Wife, Ailbhe Reddy, Daire Heffernan, Kyoto Love Hotel, Maria Kelly, Wallis Bird, Frank & Beans and more Natalia Beylis – tinch tinch by Natalia Beylis Daire Heffernan – Midwest Emo Ailbhe Reddy – Inhaling Mob Wife – Eat With Your Eyes Eat With Your Eyes by Mob Wife Frank & Beans – Nectar No More Nectar No More by Frank & Beans Kyoto Love Hotel – If We Had A Mind (April) Wallis Bird – Go Maria Kelly – Martha (postcards…

  • Monday Mixtape: Mob Wife

    April 25, 2022 - By 

    Chris Leckey, Carl Small and Wilson Davidson, aka Belfast indie-punk trio Mob Wife, share with us some of their strongest influences ahead of the release of their debut album Eat With Your Eyes this Friday. They launch their album at Ulster Sports Club for Asphyxia Promotions on May 12. Thee Oh Sees – Ticklish Warrior Carl: I first heard this song at a house party back in 2017 and instantly fell in love with this band and went out and bought a number of their records the following day. That very simple opening guitar line had me hooked and the band were very much a…