• Watch: Swords – Sitting On Walls (Live)

    April 7, 2017 - By 

    Dublin based trio Swords have revealed a video for a live performance of ‘Sitting on Walls’. Taken from their second album, Tidal Waves, which came out last year, ‘Sitting on Walls’ is a touching ballad for fans of Sharon Van Etten and Broken Twin. Diane Anglim’s brittle yet resolute vocal carries the track while a piano, bass and drum combo that wouldn’t seem entirely out of place on earlier Mogwai album gives it a rewarding backbone. The video was produced and directed by Amelia Caulfield and Gearoid Connaughton with live sound being mixed by Micheal Sheil. Tidal Waves is out now and can be purchased here.

  • Stream: Sea Pinks – Into Nowhere

    April 7, 2017 - By 

    Never ones to be shy of new tunes, Belfast-based jangle-pop trio Sea Pinks have just announced their sixth album, Watercourse, and with it, have made new single ‘Into Nowhere’ available to stream. Watercourse is the band’s 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 with Documenta, Girls Names and Robyn G Shiels – in Summer 2016 through until the Autumn, initially with the intention to write just an EP. You can stream ‘Into Nowhere’ below, and pre-order Watercourse on Bandcamp – due for release on May 26 through…

  • Moira Calling Reveal Main Stage Acts

    April 6, 2017 - By 

    Arguably Northern Ireland’s most promising new small festival outside of Belfast, Moira Calling have unveiled the acts set to the play the Main Stage when it returns for its second outing later this year. Taking place in the the Co. Armagh village across September 8-9, Eliza and the Bear, Flyte, Emerald Armada, Girls Names (pictured), Stomptown Brass, Brand New Friend and Franklyn will all appear at the Main Stage on the 9th. Organiser Jillian Marsden of promoters Brown Lemonade said, “Last year when we started this we could never have imagined being here a year later, with a full-blown music festival and a host of…

  • Women’s Work Programme Launched

    April 6, 2017 - By 

    With its inaugural outing last year proving a resounding success, Belfast’s Oh Yeah Music Centre has announced the programme for this year’s Women’s Work Festival. A unique festival for the city celebrating women in music, the purpose of Women’s Work is to raise the visibility of women who are generally in the minority in music, by hosting a range of activities that are open to all genders and include showcases, gigs, special events, panels, talks, and exhibitions. This year’s programme includes over 50 acts, creatives and DJs across 6 dedicated days, with additional content across the whole month of May. Up to…

  • Watch: R.S.A.G. – Meet You There

    April 6, 2017 - By 

    Kilkenny’s Jeremy Hickey AKA R.S.A.G is an artist that has always kept us second-guessing. From the likes of his debut Organic Sampler to 2010’s Be It Right of Wrong, the multi-instrumentalist has always struck a strong balance between familiar and forward-thinking, which is something he has yet again achieved with his new single ‘Meet You There’. Featuring visuals by partner in AV crime Paul Mahon AKA Geppetto, it’s a masterfully propulsive, perfectly danceable slice of electro-pop by the virtuoso drummer. We have this one on repeat.

  • Premiere: Rebekah Fitch – Another Show

    April 6, 2017 - By 

    We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: we’re not above straight-up pop music here at The Thin Air. For us, a killer chorus and gleaming production can easily be as potent as the the heftiest riff or most left-of-centre experimentalism. And why should it be any different? Steadily established herself as an artist who is honing her strong penchant for hook-heavy pop, Belfast singer-songwriter Rebekah Fitch is a perfect case in point in the defence of music that fully embraces its strengths. Launched at Belfast’s Pavilion tonight (with support from Brash Isaac and Amy Montgomery) her new single, ‘Another Show’, sees commanding vocals…

  • Stream: Beach – Bram Toker

    April 5, 2017 - By 

    In the best possible sense, Dublin five-piece Beach – one of our featured 17 for ’17 acts – have always been one to pin down. Marrying left-of centre psychedelia with the imprint of electronic, Krautrock and indie rock influence, their increasingly earworming craft caught our ear and then some at the tail-end of last year on single ‘Ono Noh‘. With its Goat-like incanted psych, propulsive groove and sub-bass sorcery, its follow-up, ‘Bram Toker’, goes one further, confirming the band as an act to be considered alongside fellow Irish sonic diviners The Altered Hours and Elastic Sleep.

  • Come On Live Long Announce New Album ‘In The Still’

    April 5, 2017 - By 

    Dublin’s Come On Live Long have announced the release of their long awaited second album In The Still.  Having released their debut Everything Fall in 2013, the band took their time before returning for their sophomore effort. In that time we have heard teasers for the record without even realising, with ‘For The Birds’ and the breathtaking ‘Trough’ both set to appear on In The Still. Nonetheless, aside from playing scatters of gigs here and there, the past four years for Come On Live Long were spent largely on the periphery of the scene. Making a big impact whenever they did return however meant they were…

  • Body & Soul Reveal New Acts

    April 4, 2017 - By 

    In just over 11 weeks, Body & Soul will return to Ballinlough Castle for its annual three-day summer solstice festival. Having already announced the likes of Metronomy, Lambchop and Sleaford Mods, today the festival have revealed a host of new acts set to appear at the Co. Westmeath event across June 23-25. As well as genderqueer performer, activist and poet Mykki Blanco, Austra, The Moondlandingz, Sinkane, Æ Mak, Mario Batkovic, BARQ, Shookrah, Le Boom, Katie Laffan and Sing Along Social will also perform. Elsewhere, Reckless In Love, Homebeat and more will also join those taking care of things as proceedings edge into evening across the weekend. Check out…

  • Watch: Elder Druid – Rogue Mystic

    April 4, 2017 - By 

    When it comes to doom and sludge metal, the island of Ireland more than holds it own. Staking their claim in such a healthy scene is Ballymena five-piece Elder Druid, a band who formed in early 2015 via a mutual love of riffmasters general Black Sabbath, the impossibly heavy Electric Wizard, desert masters Kyuss and the almighty Sleep. Lifted from the band’s latest EP, Magicka, the band have unveiled the video to their pulverizing new single, ‘Rogue Mystic’. Featuring suitably warped, arcane archive imagery courtesy of Gryphus Visuals, the six-minute effort conjures the fuzzed-out, hazy heft of everyone from Down at their most vengeful, Come My…