Featuring members of Wolfbait, Woven Skull, Wild Rocket and other local noiseniks, Worst have just released their debut EP, MMXVII. The five piece are a cauldron into which pours the intuitive esoterica of krautrock, psychedelia, noise and punk. The EP was recorded in the North Strand Centre in late 2016 and mixed by Scan. Limited numbers of cassettes are available from English DIY indie label Riot Season and Swap Meat Records. MMXVII by Worst
Lushly arranged Irish eight-piece Sun Collective release their debut album, Snarky Puppy-style, with a show at on Saturday June 10. Led by songwriter & composer Caimin Gilmore – who plays as the double-bassist with Lisa Hannigan – they’re comprised of classical and jazz musicians from some of Ireland’s leading groups, including Crash Ensemble. Written by Gilmore and Shane Sugrue and crafted over four years at studios in London (SARM West, of Island Records & Miloca Studios), Dublin (Steve Shannon, The Hive) and Australia. The ensemble features string trio, two pianos, three high male voices, double bass & percussion, filtered through the lens…
Belfast singer-songwriter Chris Leckey, aka Via: Barvikha releases debut EP, Chengdu, on June 16. The EP was written around a period of significant life change, as Leckey was uprooted to a new home 5329 miles away – the titular Chengdu – before coming back five months later. Channelling a brooding intensity never articulated as dynamically with his past hardcore outfit PigsAsPeople, Leckey has found a waypoint via common denominator Brand New to the darkly raw places of yearning, conjured by of Jason Molina and other quintessentially authentic Steve Albini-produced folk. Following up on a short string of singles from 2015, Chengdu is released through Belfast indie label Abbreviated Records on June 16. It was recorded & produced by the titular…
Insofar as first-rate lo-fi indie rock goes, the island of Ireland is surely right up there with the most fertile.Laying claim to their stake amongst the very best, Dublin’s Silverbacks release a new EP, the five-track Sink The Fat Moon on May 19. If new single ‘Dirty Money’ is anything to by, we’re in for something well worth the wait. A terse, harmonic-laden effort that openly yet rather brilliantly filters the more more reclined efforts of the holy trifecta that is Sonic Youth, Pavement and Pixies, it’s a masterfully languid release betraying real purpose in its disaffected swagger. This follows up on their…
Having spent the last few years establishing themselves around Belfast originally as a trio before expanding to become a quartet, the heft-laden hardcore act Hornets finally release their debut album, Witch Hunt on May 19. Witch Hunt will be the first release on newly established promotion & record label Solid Choice Industries – who have in just the last 2 months, brought Belfast rare shows from the likes of Russian Circles and Grails. Hornets’ latest release hugely broadens their scope and dynamic, taking blast-beat-led detours through visceral crust punk & cacophonic, harshly atmospheric black metal, without losing their trademark moments of Mastodon-esque gargantuan proportion.…
Brooding, atmospheric Belfast-based duo Hiva Oa release their new EP, Mk II (Part 2), following up on last year’s in-parenthesis Part 1. Based around core members Stephen Houlihan & Christine Tubridy, with outside help from Matthew Collings, Daithi McNabb & Chris McCorry, the pair lived in Edinburgh for several years before returning to Ireland and instilling new life into the project. Hiva Oa’s recent material has taken some cues in mood from post-punk & experimental electronica, filtered through the lens of contemporary indie music, not without its pop merit – paving a sonic path not unlike that of latter day Radiohead. The EP displays a breadth of unrestricted instrumentation & arrangements by band’s…
We’ve had our eye on Dublin’s Cat Palace since their 2015 debut EP. The moniker under which frontman David Blaney operates, the act balances social commentary, personal revelations and kitchen sink absurd realism by way of very listenable alt. rock and folk forays. Featuring a full band, debut album why don’t you // why don’t you, go off is out now through Little L Records. Absorbing you into his worldview for about 40 minutes, it’s a stream-of-consciousness trip through ruminations on life, from the deeply relatable nostalgic yearning and the dissatisfaction brought to you by your 20’s (Bret Hart & Vince McMahon, 1997 in ‘Welcome…
Northern Irish quartet Mons Olympus have announced details of their forthcoming debut album, Vampyroteuthis. Produced by the band’s guitarist Stephen O’Hagan, and Nathan Murray, (minus single ‘Critical Mass’, which was recorded by Michael Mormecha) the eight-track Vampyroteuthis will be launched and officially released at Belfast Empire Music Hall on May 4. Blending the Rory Dee-fronted foursome’s potent amalgam of space-rock and neo-prog, it’s sure to establish the band as one of the country’s leading exponents of cosmically-inclined, riff-fuelled alternative rock. Critical Mass by Mons Olympus With more shows to be announced, Mons Olympus will play the following dates off the back of the release:…
Belfast-based emo-tinged indie rock trio Fox Colony release their debut EP, Patterns on May 4. Associates & former bandmates of indie-pop outfit Brand New Friend, the young band recorded Patterns with Start Together Studios’ Rocky O’Reilly and have an uncanny ability to craft a tune without being afraid of wearing hearts – or accents – on their sleeves. The EP takes some cues from the current emo-pop revival of Modern Baseball, with the occasional glimmer of early ’90s alt. rock dischordance seeping in. Patterns will be available from Bandcamp – both digitally on CD – from May 4. Fox Colony launch Patterns at McHugh’s Basement on May 4, with…
Dreamy Belfast-based jangle-pop trio Sea Pinks release their new album, Watercourse on May 26 through Belfast-based indie label CF Records. Being their sixth album since their 2010 inception, the trio, fronted by singer/guitarist Neil Brogan – also of Cruising – started recording the album at Belfast’s Start Together Studios with Ben McAuley – producer for Documenta, Girls Names and more – in Summer 2016 with the intention of recording an EP, until they had recorded 16 songs, which ultimately were pared down to 10, for yet another concise Sea Pinks LP, some of which were mixed by Collin Dupuis, known for work on Angel Olsen‘s My Woman.…