• 19 for ’19: Carlton Doom

    January 24, 2019 - By 

    We continue 19 for ‘19 – our feature looking at nineteen Irish acts that we’re convinced are going places in 2019 – with fast-rising Belfast producer Chris Hanna AKA Carlton Doom. Photo by Leah Carroll Though the moniker Carlton Doom might currently be unfamiliar to some, the name Chris Hanna has long been one synonymous with the forward-pushing, world-beating electronic community in Belfast city. An elemental, much-admired presence in the city, he has released a string of releases under different guises in the past. Running parallel with borderline legendary sets at showcases including AVA Festival and homegrown club institutions such as Twitch,…

  • Countersunk share video for 101 Beats Per Minute track, ‘I Only Have Eyes’

    January 23, 2019 - By 

    From August 2018 right up to the end of the year, Dublin experimental label, Countersunk, has been sharing a track a week as part of its 101 Beats Per Minute project. Featuring contributions from a wide range of Irish musicians and producers, each track in the collection is as distinct as the next, with the only brief given being that it had to be 101 bpm. The tracks themselves have been released anonymously, but among the contributors are the likes of Jape, ELLLL, Margie Jean Lewis, Somadrone and Countersunk’s own Sunken Foals AKA Dunk Murphy. The anonymity of each of the release’s…

  • 19 for ’19: Music City

    January 22, 2019 - By 

    We continue 19 for ’19 – our series profiling nineteen Irish acts that we’re certain will do great things in 2019 – with Music City, AKA Dublin power pop artist Conor Lumsden and co. Photo by Moira Reilly. There’s this curious belief that pop music is easy. It’s simple, generic and any idiot with the ability to keep time can do it. But the truth is, it’s hard. Just because you can drip paint on a canvas, doesn’t mean you’re Jackson Pollack. Similarly, just because you can put the I-V-VI-IV progression over a basic beat, doesn’t make you Paul McCartney.…

  • 19 For ‘19: Lighght

    January 17, 2019 - By 

    We continue 19 for ’19 – our month-long series profiling nineteen Irish acts that we’re certain will do great things in 2019 – with Cork producer Lightght. Photo by Silvio Severino. We first became aware of Cork experimental producer Lighght back in 2016 when he shared the bracing and multi-dimensional single, ‘What U Need’. Since, we’ve been keeping a close eye on his prolific output, which has included numerous collaborations, solo cuts and remixes of acts ranging from Jamelia to Lankum. 2018 saw the producer feature on Sesh FM’s charity compilation for Palestine as well releasing two EPs: the hectic trance inflected…

  • 19 for ‘19: Natalia Beylis

    January 15, 2019 - By 

    19 for ’19 rolls on, featuring nineteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2019. Throughout January we’ll be previewing each of those acts, accompanied by words from our writers and an original photograph from one of our photographers. Third in our series marks a leftfield turn in the form of one of Ireland’s most evocative sonic artists, Natalia Beylis. Photo by Sean McCormack ___ As a member of Leitrim experimental/psych outfit Woven Skull, Natalia Beylis’ mandola offers an earthiness and melodic weight to the clamorous percussion and howling guitars that surround it. The band – who featured two years ago in our 17…

  • 19 for ’19: Post Punk Podge & the Technohippies

    January 14, 2019 - By 

    We continue 19 for ’19, our feature showcasing nineteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2019. Throughout January we’re going to be previewing each of those acts, accompanied by words from our writers and an original photograph from one of our photographers. Next up, one of Limerick’s finest, Post Punk Podge & The Technohippies. Photo by Sean McCormack ___ Beginning to describe Post Punk Podge is a task within itself. Post Punk Podge is kind of like Jello Biafra from the Dead Kennedys, but he’s got a Limerick accent, plays viola and wears a postage envelope over his head.…

  • 19 for ’19: Problem Patterns

    January 11, 2019 - By 

    Happy new year! We’re pleased to present 19 for ’19, a handpicked selection of Irish acts we’re absolutely convinced are going places in 2019. Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to be previewing each of those acts, accompanied by words from our writers and an original photograph by our wonderful team of photographers. First up is Belfast-based feminist punks Problem Patterns. ___ Jokingly describing themselves as “A bunch of women screaming in a room”, Belfast’s Problem Patterns wasted little time getting under our skin with the raucous and politically charged bombast of their debut track ‘Allegedly’. Released in December…

  • 19 For ’19: PowPig

    January 16, 2019 - By 

    It’s that time again; back to earth, grounding those Great Hopes and the potential of our best selves in reality once more. We do have a few great hopes for 2019, however. As always, over the remainder of January, our wonderful and talented team of photographers have paired with our writing team to deliver some previews of some artists to keep an eye on in the year ahead. Third out of the traps, we have one of the most exciting emergent acts from Limerick, a city whose 2018 solidified its status as Ireland’s current musical incubator. They featured prominently on our end of year singles and releases lists, and are astonishingly still all in their teens. Photo by…

  • The Thin Air’s Top 100 Irish Tracks of 2018 (#100-51)

    December 22, 2018 - By 

    Christ on a rickety sleigh, was this tough. But truth be told – it’s rarely easy. As we scramble to bang heads and attempt to assimilate, order and re-order the absolute deluge of excellence that has met our ears over the previous twelve months, it’s instantly clear that there will be some notable omissions. It’s equal parts unavoidable and unfortunate, but more significantly, it’s glowing testament to what we’re dealing with in every pocket of this island. Of course, we can’t – nor wish to – conclusively say this is “the best year for Irish music in recent memory” (the…

  • The Thin Air’s Top 100 Irish Tracks of 2018 (#50-1)

    December 22, 2018 - By 

    Christ on a rickety sleigh, was this tough. But truth be told – it’s rarely easy. As we scramble to bang heads and attempt to assimilate, order and re-order the absolute deluge of excellence that has met our ears over the previous twelve months, it’s instantly clear that there will be some notable omissions. It’s equal parts unavoidable and unfortunate, but more significantly, it’s glowing testament to what we’re dealing with in every pocket of this island. Of course, we can’t – nor wish to – conclusively say this is “the best year for Irish music in recent memory” (the…