• Irish Tracks of the Week – 24th February

    It’s been another excellent week for Irish music. Here’s the best singles and albums released over the last seven days, featuring Elaine Malone, David Kitt, Arborist, Mob Wife, The Plastic Ensemble, Pat Lagoon and more. Elaine Malone – Nothing Is Real Arborist – Matisse Mob Wife – The Oil In It The Plastic Ensemble – Light The Spark The Plastic Ensemble · Light The Spark Pat Lagoon – Jungle Cascando – Canyon Music David Kitt – Till The End/Balances Feather Beds – Really Disney Really Disney by Feather Beds Zeropunkt – Bitch Nails Phil Kieran – Atlantic PKR 037 'Atlantic' by…

  • Premiere: Feather Beds – Really Disney

    Over the last few years, Dublin’s Michael Orange aka Feather Beds has proven himself to be one of the country’s most forward-pushing experimental pop auteurs. Spanning dream-pop, shoegaze, electronica, ambient, and experimentalism, his music has sedated, burrowed and curveballed in equal measure on releases including 2015’s ‘Ah Stop’. This May, the London-based artist and producer will release his highly-anticipated third studio album, Softer Measures. Having snuck a preview, we’re certain it’ll go down as one of the year’s most inspired, palette-spanning full-length releases. To help make the case, today, we’re very pleased to premiere the album’s lead single, ‘Really Disney’.…

  • The Road to Great Escape announces full schedule

    Ahead of its 2023 return and after selling-out its two-day passes, the full schedule for each of the four Dublin venues has been announced for The Road To The Great Escape. The two-day festival is taking place on Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th May 2023 in across Whelan’s, Grand Social, Workman’s Club, and Academy 2. Venue tickets €15.90 including booking fees on sale today Friday 17th February at 10AM Additions to the line-up include Canadian singer Cate, gothic post-rock Londoner Heartworms, multi-platinum selling songwriter RØRY, party animals Fat Dog, RCA signee Isabel Larosa, YouTuber Hannah Grae and Scottish folk artist…

  • Premiere: Niamh Keane – Imprints

    Dublin singer-songwriter Niamh Keane is an artist fast on the rise. Hailing from Clondalkin Co. Dublin, the vocalist, pianist and violinist’s considered folk craft makes space for light and shade with a singular nuance. Her upcoming single, ‘Imprints’, is a textbook case in point. Set for release next Wednesday, February 22, it’s a gossamer ode to unconditional love that, across two contrasting chord progressions, gently pivots between a sense of darkness and release. “Imprints is essentially a tribute to that unconditional love that you are so lucky to feel from a grandparent or a parent,” said Keane, who cites Laura…

  • Another Love Story Announces First Acts

    Another Love Story have announced the first acts to play this year’s festival. Hands down one of the island’s most wonderfully singular small festival experiences, Another Love Story returns to Killyon Manor in Co. Meath across 18th-20th August 2023. And judging by the first line-up drop, it’s set to be yet another carefully-crafted programme across three days and nights. With many more acts to be announced, today, the festival announce British techno sorcerer and psychedelic shaman James Holden, Berlin-based Peruvian producer Sofia Kourtesis, Irish trad titan Martin Hayes, Rachael Lavelle & The Glasshouse Ensemble, Theon Cross, Charlie Bones and Moving Still. Including…

  • Death Grips Set For Dublin

    Death Grips have announced their long-awaited return, taking in a Dublin show this summer. As part of their first shows since 2019, the Californian experimental hip-hop group will play the Academy on Sunday, 18th June. It marks their first show in the city since 2016. Tickets cost €39.50 and go on sale at 10am on Friday, 10th February. Revisit a Death Grips classic below.

  • Watch: Gilla Band – Sports Day

    Gilla Band have dropped a new single, ‘Sports Day’. The b-side to Eight Fivers – which was accompanied by the announcement of their third album Most Normal last July – it’s a slowly unfurling and suitably stifling effort from the Dublin quartet. Today, the band have also announced four more UK/EU dates in what’s shaping up to be a busy schedule in 2023.  Check those and Michael Speed’s visuals for ‘Sports Day’ below.

  • Wilco Announce Irish Shows

    Wilco have announced two Irish shows. Courtesy of Open House Festival, the band will also play Belfast’s Mandela Hall on Wednesday, 6th September. It comes 13 years to the month from their last show with the promoters. Marking their first show in the city since playing Iveagh Gardens festival back in 2016 (revisit our gallery from the show here) the Chicago indie legends will also play 3Olympia Theatre on Friday, 8th September. Wilco last played 3Olympia Theatre back in 1999. News of the show comes hours on from the Jeff Tweedy-fronted band winning Best Historical Album for the 20th Anniversary edition of…

  • Grace Jones Announced For Beyond The Pale

    As bona fide music legends come, Grace Jones takes some beating. Since the early ’70s, her singular brand of art pop has spanned new wave, disco, R&B, reggae and far beyond. On albums such as Nightclubbing, Living My Life and Warm Leatherette, she has been a creative force fully unto herself. This summer, the woman, the myth, the legend herself will top the bill at Ireland’s best festival at the moment, Beyond The Pale. Joining the likes of Hot Chip, Thundercat, Oneohtrix Point Never, Leftfield, Jon Hopkins and countless other acts already announced, Jones’ appearance marks her only Irish performance of the…

  • Join the Belfast Region Music Board

    Belfast City Council has made an open call for applications to join the Belfast Region Music Board. As part of their council’s music strategy, Music Matters – a Roadmap for Belfast, the music board is being created to bring to life the city being awarded UNESCO City of Music status, helping to “embed music in all communities across the city to make music a sustainable career option for creators and people who support them”. With the hope of bringing together 15 to 20 members, the initiative is inviting expressions of interest from people in the music industry to sit on…