• Track Record: Alanah Smith (Problem Patterns)

    December 1, 2022 - By 

    Alanah Smith from Belfast-based feminist queerpunks Problem Patterns selects the albums that left a huge impression on her life from Bikini Kill to Charly Bliss. Photos by Jane Donnelly. Dark Times – Give Dark Times are a band who reinvigorated my love for punk, and more specifically, made me want to try my hand at it properly again. I’m fairly certain I’ve put them on every single list when anyone asks me about influences for Problem Patterns. I found their song, ‘Girl Hate’ years ago, which just blew my mind when I first heard it. It was just a chaotic…

  • The Mandlebrot Set

    November 29, 2022 - By 

    You know that equation in Fractal Mathematics, The Mandlebrot Set? When a formula is applied, an organic form that looks a bit like a cockroach repeats itself into infinity? Male comics in Ireland today. How these sentient Reddit threads stop masturbating over Meme Stocks long enough to sell out shows at the SSE Arena, is beyond me. The Positive Spide was probably my favourite male comic from Belfast. He would get in his car and shout out the window to people in a working-class, aggressive Belfast accent things like – “What’s for ye won’t go by ye!!” “If you’re feeling…

  • Tour Diary: Leigh Arthur on Spilt Milk Festival 2022

    November 25, 2022 - By 

    Extravision member, photographer and ddr. resident Leigh Arthur reports back from Day One of this year’s Spilt Milk festival in Sligo I stood a Johnny Ramone stance around a pile of drum breakables, guitar cases and overnight bags, as Seán Goucher of the Number Ones pointed over to a shelf in the newsagents of Connolly Station. “There’s Jen Connell”. The former Cave Ghosts singer was not stocking up on train snacks to come with us, but instead was being celebrated on the cover of House and Home magazine. I remember seeing Cave Ghosts in The Stag’s Head years ago with…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 25th November

    November 25, 2022 - By 

    Aoife Wolf – The Wetlands EP Alpha Chrome Yayo – Tom Waits is There Tom Waits Is There by Alpha Chrome Yayo Meltybrains? – Space Ghetto Celica – Celica EP 02 Celica EP 02 by Celica AOIBHA – When You Hold Her Christian Cohle – Strength Constant Supply – I Keep Hitting Every Wall, Baby Lobotomy by Constant Supply I Have a Tribe – Teddy’s Song Driven Snow – Flickers of You Willzee – Eclipse   Photo credit: Aaron Cunningham

  • Monday Mixtape: M Stevens & The Ghasts

    November 21, 2022 - By 

    Popical Island founder and M Stevens & The Ghasts main man Mike Stevens reveals some of his all-time favourite songs, from Silver Jews and Weyes Blood, to Wilco and Lankum Birds by M Stevens & The Ghasts Brigid Mae Power – ‘Mother in the Sky’ At the end of a recent gig of hers in the Bello Bar, I said to an embarrassed Brigid Mae Power that it was maybe the best gig I had ever seen. In the cold light of the next morning, I cringed not a bit, realising it wasn’t just the drink talking, that it was…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 18th November

    November 18, 2022 - By 

    Here’s the very best Irish tracks of the week, featuring Joshua Burnside, Nine Raths, Lisa O’Neill, Mount Palomar, Anna Mieke and more Joshua Burnside – Late Afternoon In The Meadow (1887) Nine Raths – EP002 EP2 by Nine Raths Lisa O’Neill – Old Note Mount Palomar – Brace for Impact EP Lauren Ann – Adelaide Anna Mieke – Theatre Theatre by Anna Mieke M Stevens & The Ghasts – Birds Def Nettle – Architecture The Barbiturates – Pollitricks Pollitricks (Single) by The Barbiturates

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 11th November

    November 11, 2022 - By 

    Here’s the very best Irish releases of the week, featuring Icebear, New Pagans, Comrade Hat, Ailbhe Reddy, Kate Geraldine O’Neill and more Icebear – White Dove Dream White Dove Dream by Icebear New Pagans – Karin Was Not A Rebel / Fresh Young Overlook Comrade Hat – Old Gods, Vol. II Old Gods, Vol. 2 by Comrade Hat Katie Geraldine O’Neill – Vacuum Ailbhe Reddy – Shitshow Tr One – Never Be As Much Fun Never Be As Much Fun by Tr One ZOID & Inni K – Strong Strong (feat. Inni-K) by ZOiD Amy Montgomery – Meet You In…

  • Track Record: Laura Sheary (Kyoto Love Hotel)

    November 10, 2022 - By 

    In this installment of Track Record, Laura Sheary from Kyoto Love Hotel selects the records that have left a huge impression on her, from Sylvan Esso to Sinead O’Connor. Photos by Jane Donnelly Sylvan Esso – Free Love There’s a couple of Sylvan Esso bangers on this as always, but I’m particularly fond of the slightly more downtempo songs with the subtle beats, rich textures, and warm vocals. Amelia Meath’s voice and melodies are gorgeous – they’re nostalgic and full of light. I find her phrasing really interesting too, the way she lingers on or moves between words seems to…

  • Monday Mixtape: Beauty Pageant

    November 7, 2022 - By 

    Dublin indie-rock sextet Beauty Pageant delve deep into some of their all-time favourite songs, by Cocteau Twins, Osees, Slowdive and more Ash – Angel Interceptor Several members of the band have been Ash fans for a long time. I’ve always loved their blend of chunky fuzzy layered guitars with Tim wheelers naive-romantic lyrics and power pop melodies. Angel Inteceptor I think has always been my favourite. Cariño – Si Quieres I stumbled upon this Spanish indie-pop band last summer while looking through the small-print names on the twice postponed Primavera Barcelona line-up. I find the mix of analogue drum machine…

  • Sinead O’Brien at Cyprus Avenue, Cork

    October 28, 2022 - By 

    Fresh off the release of her debut album Time Bend And Break The Bower, Sinead O’Brien brings her hypnotic performance and affecting spoken-word lyricism to Cork’s Cyprus Avenue. Blending apocalyptic soothsaying with mythological allegory, O’Brien’s lyrics create a profound experience on their own, but combined with the driving guitar and drums of her band (Julian Hanson and Oscar Robertson) they create an aural meditation that washes over you before hitting you in the gut. Recent tracks like ‘End Of Days’ and ‘Most Modern Painting’ get the set going as O’Brien draws the crowd closer to the stage. On stage she…