• 18 for ’18: Molly Sterling

    January 18, 2018 - By 

    We continue 18 for ’18, our feature of showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. 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 is Tipperary’s Molly Sterling. Photo by Ciara Brennan Try as one might, it’s usually nigh on impossible to clearly pinpoint what demarcates a great artist from a good one. Often, the real difference can only be traced in the smallest moments – music that has a way with itself, the space between the…

  • 18 for ’18: Silverbacks

    January 17, 2018 - By 

    We continue 18 for ’18, our feature of showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. 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 is Silverbacks. Photo by Colum O’Dwyer Dublin five-piece Silverbacks may have already released a debut album back in 2015, but it’s what they release next that we’re most excited about. That debut, Hot Bath, was a strong starting effort from brothers and primary songwriters Daniel and Kilian O’Kelly – a fairly loose affair that…

  • 18 for ’18: EHCO

    January 16, 2018 - By 

    We continue 18 for ’18, our feature of showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. 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 is Wicklow’s EHCO. Photo by Niall O’Kelly  Eoin Whitfield has ditched his indie-rock roots and swapped them for another genre; slick electronica. The Wicklow-based artist, formerly of Enemies, recently dropped his first cut under the moniker EHCO. And the track, titled ‘Raise It Up’, serves as an ideal glimpse into what we can…

  • Festival Preview: Quarter Block Party 2018

    January 15, 2018 - By 

    Returning to the centre of Cork city for its fourth year isQuarter Block Party, a music and arts festival fast establishing its position as one of the finest weekends in the cultural calendar. Presented by Makeshift Ensemble and the Southern Hospitality Board, a myriad of events are due to provide some much-needed upliftment following the post-Christmas tedium over the first weekend of February (Friday 2nd to Sunday the 4th). Psych-pop experimentalists O Emperor (below) have been quiet since the release of their Lizard EP which came out back in 2015 and their return provides an occasion for the band to debut…

  • 18 for ’18: Landless

    January 15, 2018 - By 

    We continue 18 for ’18, our feature of showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. 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 is Dublin/Belfast quartet Landless. Traditional music has experienced somewhat of a renaissance over recent years, with artists such as The Morning Tree, Rue, Lisa O’Neill and Martha Wainwright waving the flag proudly. Arguably spearheading this, however, are Dublin/Belfast-based Landless. The four-piece, comprising of Ruth Clinton, Meabh Meir, Sinead Lynch and Lily Power, have…

  • 18 for ’18: Sun Mahshene

    January 15, 2018 - By 

    We continue 18 for ’18, our feature of showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. 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 is Sun Mahshene. Photo by Moira Reilly Dublin’s Sun Mahshene are dedicated to doing their own thing. Indeed, frontman Nathan Henderson started the project having grown tired with the local band scene back in 2014. Initially a solo endeavour where he played all instruments himself, over the years a revolving door of musicians…

  • 18 for ’18: Crevice

    January 11, 2018 - By 

    We continue 18 for ’18, our feature of showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. 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 is Cork’s Crevice. Photo by Abi Dennison Here’s the thing, a good “vibes” band is hard to find. Capturing atmosphere and the wispy texture of indescribable feelings is, understandably, a tough task. Yet every hack with a synthesizer and a copy of To Be Kind thinks it’s a piece of piss to write long,…

  • 18 for ’18: Junior Brother

    January 10, 2018 - By 

    We continue 18 for ’18, our feature of showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. 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 is Junior Brother. Photo by Sarah Ryan Having played Whelan’s Ones to Watch festival the last two years running and given his recent move to Dublin, Ronan Kealy is set to make 2018 his year. The Kerry native, who goes by the stage name Junior Brother, followed up his debut EP Sleeping at the Bottom of the Sea with Fuck…

  • 18 for ’18: LAOISE

    January 9, 2018 - By 

    Having already featured JYellowL and Dowry, we continue 18 for ’18, our feature of showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. 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 is LAOISE. Photo by Aaron Corr Galway electronic pop artist Laoise Ní Nualláin (or simply LAOISE) took 2017 by storm with the release of her debut EP, Halfway. This four-track release received critical acclaim across the board for both its originality and honest insight into broader themes of anxiety and despair. Leading single, ‘You’…

  • 18 For ’18: Dowry

    January 2, 2018 - By 

    Happy new year! We’re pleased to present 18 for ’18, a handpicked selection of Irish acts we’re absolutely convinced are going places in 2018. 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 Dublin composer and artist Éna Brennan AKA Dowry. Photo by Aaron Corr ___ “Surround yourself with kind and sincere people and all will be well.” (Dowry proverb) Éna Brennan has made sure to do just that over the past year. Having played with…