• Monday Mixtape: Niall Jackson

    February 22, 2021 - By 

    London-based Dublin musician and broadcaster Niall Jackson aka Swimmers Jackson selects some of the songs featured on his excellent new radio show/podcast Pears For Lunch. I’m doing a new radio show/podcast on Islington Radio talking to Irish Musicians for an hour. A deep dive, breaking down songs, talking about influences and approach and getting some funny tour stories. The first seven have already been recorded with three episodes out so far. It’s called ‘Pears For Lunch’ and goes out on Mixcloud every Thursday on @IslingtonRadio so far here I’m delighted to give you an exclusive on songs looked at so…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – February 19th

    February 19, 2021 - By 

    It’s safe to say it’s been another stacked week for world-beating Irish music. Here’s the very best of the lot, featuring tracks from Hannah Peel, Plaice, Elaine & Maykay x Daithi, Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra, New Pagans, HAVVK, Christian Cohle, Sal Dulu, Fya Fox and more. Plaice – Gabriel (Ascending) Hannah Peel – Evovocative Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra – I didn’t love you when I said I did and I don’t now Elaine Mai & MayKay – No Forever (Daithí Ambient Mix) New Pagans – Harbour HAVVK – Home Christian Cohle – Holy Trouble Fya Fox – BODY Sal Dulu…

  • Playlist: The Songs That Inspired Body & Soul’s Ériu’s Threshold

    February 17, 2021 - By 

    Created entirely during the Stage 5 Lockdown, Ériu’s Threshold is a majestic, multi-disciplinary project by the team behind leading Irish festival Body & Soul. Originally conceived by festival founder Avril Stanley and Creative Director Mary Hickson during a site visit at Ballinlough Castle, Co. Westmeath, the project “interprets the past in response to the current global pandemic” via an outstanding cast of renowned Irish female talent from the worlds of theatre, dance, music, film, literature and fashion design. Presented as a film, filmed by award-winning director Mia Mullarkey, the project features a re-interpretation of Henry Purcell’s aria Dido’s Lament, which…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – February 12th

    February 12, 2021 - By 

    Here are the very best Irish tracks released this week, featuring Dani Larkin, étáin, Anna’s Anchor, Gavin Da Vinci, Daithi, Cherym, Teishi-1, Amerik with Gareth Dunlop and more. étáin – bone house Dani Larkin – Love Part Three Anna’s Anchor – Thomond Bridge Cherym – Kisses On My Cards Kisses on My Cards by CHERYM Daithi – An Irish Goodbye Gavin Da Vinci – Superman SUPERMAN by GavinDaVinci Teishi-1 – Haptic 3 Acid Break Haptic 3 Acid Break by Teishi-1 Aeons – Smile Amerik w/ Gareth Dunlop – Olive SHOCKS – Crocodile Tears Pretty Happy – Salami

  • Watch: Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra – I didn’t love you when I said I did and I don’t now

    February 14, 2021 - By 

    On this, a day of unilateral disappointment and self-loathing, we’re delighted to share some reprieve in the form of a new single from one of the most exciting guitar bands to pop up on our radars in the last year, Dublin trio Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra. ‘I didn’t love you when I said I did’ more than delivers on the promise of their prior two singles, as the band increasingly look to be held in the same breath with the likes of the fast-rising Pillow Queens and Maija Sofia. Recorded & mixed by Sean Montgomery Dietz at Annesley House, its understated wooziness is enveloped in a maelstrom of crushingly…

  • Monday Mixtape: Loner Deluxe

    February 8, 2021 - By 

    Ahead of the release of his third album next month, Galway’s Loner Deluxe aka Keith Wallace (also founder of independent label Rusted Rail) guides us through his all-time favourite songs from Nico, Can, Mercury Rev, Silver Jews, Neu! and more Loner Deluxe’s Field Recordings is released on March 5th Mercury Rev – Frittering   I’ve loved this song for so long that when I heard Cian Ó Cíobháin play it recently on air on his An Taobh Tuathail radio show on RnaG I nearly levitated off the couch. This song and its parent album turn 30 this year and I’ve…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – February 5th

    February 5, 2021 - By 

    It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for: the first Bandcamp Friday of 2021. If you’re going to pick up some great new Irish music, best make it today. Here’s our round-up of the best new tracks, LPs & comps from Woven Skull, The Department of Energy, Bangers ‘n’ Breakups, Arvo Party, Joshua Burnside x Sorbet, Slomatics, Any Joy, Tolü Makay & more. Woven Skull – Space City: Live In Glasgow Woven Skull – Space City – Live In Glasgow by Woven Skull The Department of Energy – Lee Lines (Landscape Mixtape) Lee Lines (Landscape Mixtape) by The Department of…

  • Pete and Jamie, Jamie and Pete

    February 3, 2021 - By 

    On Thursday, 14th January 2021, Jamie WhatsApped me with a private Soundcloud link and message that read, “Very sneak peek at Pete’s solo record. Just finished producing and mixing last night”. I was doing something, probably footering about with the Air Fryer I got for Christmas, so I didn’t listen to it. I didn’t listen to it the next day either. Or the day after. 3 days it lay in my phone, falling down the WhatsApp chat list with every new message that came in. Then I remembered, and stuck it on. It is – and I’m not being excessive…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – January 29th

    January 29, 2021 - By 

    HALLI – Body Never Lies Elaine Mai – No Forever (feat. MayKay) Wyvern Lingo – Only Love Only Light Ciarán Ruby – Landfall / March of the Dispossessed Sun Mahshene – The Righteous One The Righteous One by Sun Mahshene Laoise – Gravy Chósta – Rush Hour Badhands – Indian Ocean Toshín – She Elina Filice feat. Cat – First World Problems Alex Gough – FOREVER CLASSIC (Live At The Clinic) Bunkhouse – Bunkhouse LP Bunkhouse by Bunkhouse Ye Vagabonds – I’m A Rover Emiji – Larimar (feat. Hvmmingbyrd) Nylophone – Shy One   Arthuritis – My Ass, Around the…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – January 22nd

    January 22, 2021 - By 

    After a relatively fallow couple of weeks there, here’s the very best Irish tracks released this week, featuring Myles Manley, Sal Dulu, Uladh + Joshua Burnside, A Smyth, Tolu Makay, This Ship Argo, Rory Nellis, The Gauze, Lauren Bird and more Sal Dulu – Girl Sal Dulu · Girl Myles Manley – Shiteshow This Ship Argo – Hiding Like a Coward In The Smoke Always the Bees: Never the Honey by This Ship Argo New Pagans – Christian Boys Kieran O’Brien – Arms Open Without End by Kieran O’Brien Joshua Burnside – The Only Thing I Fear (Uladh remix) The…