• Stream: Paddy Hanna – Sunday Milkshake

    March 21, 2017 - By 

    Masterful Dublin songsmith Paddy Hanna has unveiled yet another song in the form of ‘Sunday Milkshake’, ahead of the release of new single ‘Bad Boys’ on March 24. Featuring hints of a motorik beat, filled out with a lush orchestral arrangement, Hanna has once again put his genre-tapping to full use in proving why he’s one of the finest, most artful pop songwriters in Ireland – if his string of singles from mid-2015 following 2014 debut album Leafy Stiletto didn’t already do it – check them out on Soundcloud. On its themes, Hanna states that Sunday Milkshake is “a tale of realisation, of sleeping on a…

  • Sunflowerfest Announce First Wave of Acts

    March 20, 2017 - By 

    Perhaps more than most small Irish festivals of its ilk, the evolution of Sunflowerfest has been notable over the last couple of years. Set to return to Tubby’s Farm at Hillsborough from July 28-30, the first acts revealed to play this year’s outing only serves to confirm that fact. With the theme of A Parallel Universe, Rubberbandits (pictured), Farah Elle, Damola, Le Galaxie, Malojian, R51, OR:LA, Ryan Vail, King Kong Company, Electric Swing Circus, Too Many T’s, JIKA! JIKA!, Ponyhawke, Beans on Toast and Mr B. The Gentleman Rhymer are amongst the first names to be confirmed, with yet more to be…

  • Watch: ‘Document: A Film About Malojian’

    March 20, 2017 - By 

    If there’s one thing we could all take from Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s 2004 Metallica film Some Kind of Monster it’s that fly-on-the-wall, “in-the-studio” documentaries can – given the wrong variables – capture a very unique kind of tension and uncomfortable atmosphere. Something of the polar opposite of that (in more ways that one) Colm Laverty’s exceptional Document: A Film About Malojian captures a band whose chemistry and compatibility as a unit is, in itself, endearing, entertaining and hugely watchable. Featuring the Stevie Scullion-fronted band recording their exquisite third studio album This Is Nowhere with the towering Steve Albini at his Chicago studio…

  • Watch: This Ain’t No Disco Episode II featuring Villagers’ Conor O’Brien, Nico Muhly & More

    March 19, 2017 - By 

    This Ain’t No Disco is an Irish music program for the times. The work of the equally tireless Donal Dineen and Myles O’Reilly, the first installment – which landed at the tail-end of 2016 – married music, visuals, discussion and collaboration in wonderfully-woven, beautifully intimate fashion. Featuring Brian Mac Gloinn of Ye Vagabonds, a collaboration between Villagers’ Conor O’Brien and Nico Muhly, Cormac Begley, Landless and more, episode two continues the trend, getting to the heart of what defines modern Irish music and its potent links to the past in filmic, typically evocative fashion.

  • Stream: Bad Sea – Over My Head

    March 20, 2017 - By 

    The B-side to their latest single, ‘Tell Me (What I Mean)‘, ‘Over My Head’ by fast-rising, and TTA-approved Dublin duo Ciara Thompson and Alan Pharrell AKA Bad Sea is a slow-burning ballad that, stripped back to its core subtle piano and Thompson’s exquisite vocal delivery, reveals the band’s prowess in the realm of taking a step or two back. Ahead of the band’s show with Beauty Sleep and Shrug Life in Dublin on Friday, stream the track below now.

  • Air, Mark Ronson and More Set for The Beatyard

    March 16, 2017 - By 

    Taking place across the weekend of August 5 & 6 is this year’s Beatyard Festival at The Beatyard of Dun Laoghaire Harbour with huge headliners Mark Ronson, in what will be an excellent DJ set from the tastemaker, as well as atmospheric French trip-hop channelling outfit Air. Continuing on from last year’s funk & soul-oriented lineup, the bill confirmed so far includes: Toots & The Maytals Bananarama Candi Staton Larry Heard aka Mr Fingers [in his first ever Irish performance] Mood II Swing Romare Rusangano Family [Well-deserved Choice Music Prize-winners 2017] Katie Kim Romare [with a full live band] Horse Meat Disco Fish Go Deep Kíla…

  • George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic To Play Dublin in May

    March 16, 2017 - By 

    P-Funk innovator George Clinton returns to Dublin on May 16 for a show at Vicar Street alongside his two most heralded projects Parliament & Funkadelic. Revolutionising R&B, soul, funk, and crossing over into the acid-rock audience in the late ’60s & ’70s like no-one ever had before, influenced by the likes of Hendrix, Sly Stone, Zappa & Ash Ra, he released a huge number of essential albums throughout his career, especially both bands’ ’70s purple patches – memorably on the likes of Maggot Brain, Mothership Connection & One Nation Under A Groove. His P-Funk philosophy heavily inspired by the latter, stood for Parliament-Funkadelic, Psychedelic Funk &…

  • Sunn O))) Set For Irish Shows

    March 16, 2017 - By 

    It’s been announced that American drone metal masters Sunn O))) will play two Irish shows in July. With their original score to horror film The Devil’s Candy scheduled for U.S. release tomorrow (March 17), the Seattle legends – whose live set-up comprises of core members Stephen O’Malley, Greg Anderson and others – will play Belfast’s Limelight 1 on July 17 and Dublin’s Button Factory on July 18. Tickets for the shows – priced £22.50 + booking fee for the former and €25.oo inc. booking fee for the latter – are on sale now.

  • Stream: Loah – The Bailey

    March 15, 2017 - By 

    Two years ago last month we featured Irish-Sierra Leonean artist Sallay Matu Garnett AKA Loah as the cover star of the fourth issue of our physical magazine. And in the 25 months since, Garnett has evolved into something very special indeed. Currently in Austin, Texas as part of this year’s SXSW, the Dublin-based singer has unveiled her latest single, ‘The Bailey’, a stellar five-minute effort taken from her forthcoming This Heart EP. A full-band, politically-charged effort, the song tackles personal freedom and choice in relation to exterior forces. As ever, Garnett’s sublime vocals take centre-stage. This Heart will be released via Ensemble Music on…

  • Premiere: Percolator – Crab Supernova

    March 15, 2017 - By 

    Taken from their forthcoming debut album, Sestra, ‘Crab Supernova’ by Dublin-based “Krautophiles” Percolator is a track that – stemming from the band’s love of the likes of Neu! and Stereolab – conjures up a thick miasma of ‘gazey Kosmiche textures and Motorik groove. Accompanied by a video courtesy of Thom McDermot, the single is one of many highlights on Sestra, which was recorded in-house at John ‘Spud’ Murphy and Ian Chestnutt’s Guerilla Studios. The album is out via Penske Recordings on April 14. Have a first look and listen to ‘Crab Supernova’ below.