• Irish Tracks of the Week – 28th July

    As we try to come to terms with the collective sucker punch that is Sinéad O’Connor’s passing, we also band together and celebrate the very best Irish music of the week from Naoise Roo, Alpha Chrome Yayo, Cruel Sister, Aislinn Logan and more. Naoise Roo – Sacred Cow Elaine Malone – Eat Out of Your Hand Alpha Chrome Yayo – Baby Steps Baby Steps by Alpha Chrome Yayo Cruel Sister – Hands Infinite Left – Infinite Bliss Infinite Bliss by Infinite Left Aislinn Logan – Tír na nÓg Nara – Scarlet Moncrieff – Love Somebody

  • Inbound: Chubby Cat

    The last year has been markedly transitional for Cat Doran aka Chubby Cat; a new name, new city, and new vibe to contextualise the alt-pop artist’s emergence as she builds on the hype that’s followed her 2021 debut ‘slipping’.  The Cork-born artist made her Belfast debut at Output in 2022, showcasing to an impressively-sized crowd of listeners left reeling by her vocal riffs. A year on, having made the move up from Dublin at the start of this spring to work on new music, what’s to come is certainly Belfast’s gain. The BIMM graduate’s artistic ethic and approach are both…

  • Small Trans Library

    Librarians James Hudson, Julian Bernard and Greta Jursys write on the forward-pushing goings-on of the Small Trans Library Dublin Photos by David McEneaney Founded in 2018 as the offshoot of a Dublin Fringe project, the Small Trans Library is an all-trans collective of artists and organisers working to bring Ireland a lending library of over 500 trans- and queer-authored books, a host of trans-led events open alternately to Dublin’s trans community and to the public at large, and a radical mutual aid fund which has redistributed over €40,000 over the last three years. The political mission of the library is…

  • Inbound: Lunch Machine

    “I was working as a waitress when it came to me”, says Jude Barriscale of the origin of her band’s name. “It was really busy all the time, so I felt like a machine that brings you lunch. Lunch is also the break in the working day, the break we all look forward to.” Apt, given how much there is to look forward to from the Belfast-based quartet. Frontwoman Barriscale and company – guitarist Pearse Owens, Robert Mulhern of Tuath on bass, and drummer Kieran Devlin – channel disparate influences like Courtney Barnett, Deftones, Bicep, and “lo-fi hip hop to…

  • Irish Tracks of The Week – 21st July

    It’s a stacked week for Irish music, with some new music from some of the best names around, including Maija Sofia, Jape, The Mary Wallopers, Kojaque, Nealo, Sweetlemondae, Moondiver and more. The Mary Wallopers – Wexford Maija Sofia – Telling The Bees Space Shepherds – What Fabric? What Fabric? by Space Shepherds Sweetlemondae – Turn The World Jape – Heal These Wounds Kojaque – Bambi (Feat. Gotts Street Park) Connor McCann – I Believe Al Reddan – Galtee Mountain Boy Galtee Mountain Boy by al reddan Moondiver – When U Land moondiver · When U Land Nealo & Jehnova – Tears…

  • Irish Tracks of The Week – 15th July

    Here’s the very best Irish tracks and videos of the week, from Joel Harkin, CMAT and John Grant, Krea, Soda Blonde and more Joel Harkin – Letters From Alan To George The Sleeveens – Give My Regards To The Dancing Girls CMAT and John Grant – Where Are Your Kids Tonight? Krea – The Callows Soda Blonde – Bad Machine Drew Makes Noise – Flame I Have A Tribe – Fly Like a Bird

  • Fall Right Into Place 2023

    The highly-anticipated second installment of Galway festival Fall Right Into Place will take place on 16th and 17 September 2023. After a hugely successful first outing last year with New Dad, The Mary Wallopers and The Scratch, the festival will once again take over the wonderfully imposing Claregalway Castle for two nights of top-tier live music, food and drink. Headlining the first night of this year’s outing on Saturday, 16th September are recent TTA cover stars Pillow Queens. Expect nothing less than a set of worldbeating indie-rock from the fast-rising Dublin four-piece. The following night, 17th September, sees The Murder Capital…

  • Some Buzz! An Interview With Honeypot

    Kelly Doherty chats to the founders of club night and community Honeypot about providing welcoming and accessible events for queer women and their friends in Dublin Photo by Kate Lawlor A new series of parties proving community for “gay girls and friends” has taken the Dublin sapphic scene by storm. Honeypot, founded by couple Kerry Mahony and Emma Murphy – aka Rhyzine – just last summer, has already sold out numerous events and built a steady online following with its irreverent, bubbly branding. In a Irish queer scene where almost every other night primarily serves a male audience, Honeypot is…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 7th July

    Another stacked week for Irish music sees an incredible traditional and Sean-Nós collection from Nyahh Records, as well as new singles and albums from the likes of Lucy Gaffney, Anna’s Anchor, Larks, Ian Nyquist and Niamh Bury Various Artists – A Collection of Songs in the Traditional & Sean-Nós Style A Collection of Songs in the Traditional & Sean-Nós Style by Nyahh Records Lucy Gaffney – Just Friends Ian Nyquist – Thiar Thiar by Ian Nyquist Anna’s Anchor – The Merries The Merries by Anna’s Anchor Larks – Talking To Myself Niamh Bury – Beehive N.O.A.H – Sour Kiss Jillelli –…

  • Inbound: Pat Lagoon

    Pat Lagoon isn’t surprised that you don’t know many hip-hop acts from Waterford. The Irish MC caught local inspiration from artists such as Waterford-via-Congo producer Murka Murcury and the Flatbush Zombie-stylings of rap collective Sons Phonetic, whilst taking in the transatlantic sonics of Kaytranada, Mac Miller, Anderson Paak and Mick Jenkins. Combined, it makes for a melting pot of funk, soul, hip-hop and trap influence. Dropping his first track, ‘Love Bites,’ in 2018 before going on to release a string of singles and an EP with Rikshaw, temptation to join the Irish brain-drain and relocate to somewhere like London has…