• 16 For ’16: Strength

    February 3, 2016 - By 

    Having played our Independent Venue Week showcase at Belfast’s Oh Yeah Centre on Saturday night, Derry’s Strength are the latest Irish act we’ve handpicked as a “one to watch” throughout 2016 and beyond. Words by Brian Coney. Photos by James Cunningham. Arguably one of the bolder, more idiosyncratic propositions to emerge in the North over the last while, Derry’s Strength were formed from the smouldering embers of sadly-departed psychobilly art-rockers Red Organ Serpent Sound. With the release of the former’s bugged-out new single, ‘Northern Ireland Yes’ (their attempt to “embrace the cultural psyche of the North and send it back…

  • 16 For ’16: A Bad Cavalier

    February 1, 2016 - By 

    As we edge ever closer to the end of our 16 For ’16 feature, in which we’ve been eagerly profiling sixteen Irish acts we’re putting good money on doing great things in 2016, Brian Coney envisions big things for ASIWYFA guitarist Niall Kennedy’s A Bad Cavalier. Photo by Joe Laverty When he’s not trotting the globe with North Coast post-rock maestros And So I Watch You From Afar, ex-Panama Kings main man Niall Kennedy is honing his wares at the helm of A Bad Cavalier. Whilst certainly echoing the varying triumphant stupor of the aforementioned outfits, the effortlessly tight alt-pop of…

  • Monday Mixtape: Cian Nugent

    February 1, 2016 - By 

    Released on Saturday, Night Fiction by Dublin’s Cian Nugent was praised to no end in Garrett Hargan’s review of the album, published earlier on TTA earlier today. To accompany its release, Nugent has kindly took some time out to reveal and talk about some of his all-time favourite songs, including Fred Neil and Cass McCombs. Cian Nugent launches Night Fiction on Friday, February 12. Event page here. Fred Neil – Dolphins Fred Neil maybe better known for writing ‘Everybody’s Talkin” which Nilsson famously did on the Midnight Cowboy soundtrack but for me this is where he really takes off. Love the band…

  • The Record: Robocobra Quartet

    February 1, 2016 - By 

    In the latest installment of The Record, we eavesdrop and follow-up on the recording of ‘Kikazaru’, the superb new single from Belfast’s Robocobra Quartet. Photos by Colm Laverty. Hi Chris. ‘Kikazaru’ is the third “part” of the three-wise-monkeys songs you’ve written and recorded. Can you shed some light on the thematic/conceptual narrative threading the three installments? Chris Ryan (drums/vocals): It’s pretty loose. The lyrics were leaning that way for this collection of three songs and so the concept came in retrospect. It’s not strict by any means. For me, it helps not to get too lost in the process of…

  • 16 For ’16: Planet Parade

    February 1, 2016 - By 

    Our feature profiling sixteen Irish acts we’re very confident will do great in the months ahead, we continue 16 for ’16 today in the company of Kildare’s Planet Parade. Words by Brian Coney. Photo by Brian Mulligan. Striking a shrewd balance between the blither side of Tame Impala, Vampire Weekend and Mac Demarco, Maynooth duo Michael Hopkins and Andrew Lloyd AKA Planet Parade admittedly caught us napping back in August with the release of their impossibly earworming single ‘Blue Sky’. Something of a should-have-been late Summer classic, its chilled and billowing quasi-tropical indie groove laid bare the pair’s ever-assured command of pattern and texture,…

  • Friday Mixtape: Ken Griffin (August Wells)

    January 29, 2016 - By 

    In a one-off diversion from its usual Monday slot, Ken Griffin from August Wells chooses and selects some of his favourite tracks for this special Friday Mixtape (see what we did there?) August Wells playing the following Irish shows this weekend: Friday, January 29: Thirsty Scholar, Waterford Saturday, January 30: Levis’ Corner House, Ballydehob Sunday, January 31: DeBarras, Clonakilty Nina Simone – Suzanne I first heard this sitting in a bar. I immediately asked the barman to play it again. It was my first time ever hearing Nina Simone. I had no idea what was happening. Was it a man? A woman?…

  • 16 For ’16: Margie Jean Lewis

    January 29, 2016 - By 

    In the latest installment of 16 For ’16 – our feature looking at sixteen Irish (or Ireland-based) artists we’re convinced will do great things in 2016 – Joe Madsen introduces Dublin-based, Australian born classically trained violinist and jazz vocalist Margie Jean Lewis. Photo by Aoife Herrity Riding a reputation as an infrequent but exhilarating performer, Margie Jean Lewis is set to drop her debut EP this year, marking a formal foray into the land of recorded artistry. The Australian-born musician – boasts a lovely voice with bewildering compositions to match – has developed quite the mystique in the Irish electronic circuit,…

  • Rave New World (29/01)

    January 29, 2016 - By 

    After a brief January lull, Antoin Lindsay and Aidan Hanratty return for their latest look at the best electronic gigs, tracks, mixes and releases of the week. GIGS Out To Lunch presents Call Super at Bar Tengu, Dublin Friday 29 January Call Super comes to Dublin for only the second time, following a late 2014 gig at Gary’s Gang with this four-hour set for Out To Lunch. He’s featured in this column and on this site before, so it’s no surprise that we’re excited about this gig. Never one to reach for the obvious choice, his sets are a constant delight. AH Jika Jika! with…

  • Solar Bears’ Top Five Sci-Fi Films

    January 27, 2016 - By 

    Heavily informed by their nigh on savant-like love of film and film soundtracks, it’s no surprise the oeuvre of Dublin electronic duo Solar Bears to date has betrayed a decidedly filmic scope and air. With their stellar forthcoming third album, Advancement, very much continuing in said vivid vein, John Kowalski from the duo selects his top five Sci-Fi films, focusing on both the visual and musical. Photo by Dorje De Burgh. Je T’Aime, Je T’Aime (Alain Resnais, 1968) A tale of splintered timelines and despair full of haunting choral music by Penderecki. Echoes running side by side before diverting on tangents. From…

  • 16 For ’16: exmagician

    January 26, 2016 - By 

    With their debut album teetering on the brink of release, Belfast’s exmagician are primed for a remarkable 2016. Cathal Mc Bride traces their formation, recent output and what lies ahead. Photo by Ruth Kelly Rising from the ashes of Cashier No.9, that band’s primary forces Danny Todd and James Smith have put their old project to bed and reinvented themselves as exmagician. The sunny sound of Cashier’s To The Death Of Fun has now been traded for something slightly darker, and although acoustic guitars are still a dominant force, it’s less folksy this time out, with a greater leaning on electronic…