Having just released his masterful new single ‘Joyful, Joyful,’ Derry artist Caolán Austin reflects on some of his all-time favourite music, from Bill Evans and DJ Shadow, to Pinback, Steve Reich and beyond.   Vegyn – The Path Less Travelled Vegyn, in my estimation, is one of the most exciting producers around at the moment. An audible descendant from Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada and all of that glitchy good stuff; he makes beautiful electronic music that captures this really raw and beautiful feeling. My good friend Stephen McCauley introduced me to this song and I’ve been obsessed with Vegyn’s…

Dive into this week’s best new music, including full-length releases from Acid Granny, AOIBHA, Francesca O, Cliffords, Monday’s Child, and Curtisy, alongside fresh singles by RUÁ, Caolán Austin, Cruel Sister, Rory Sweeney with Saoirse Miller, RÓIS & Ristéard ÓhAodha, and more. Acid Granny – Our Husband Our Husband by Acid Granny Rory Sweeney w/ Saoirse Miller, RÓIS & Ristéard ÓhAodha – Entrance Places Francesca O – Cortado Francesca O – Cortado by Nyahh Records Monday’s Child – Modern Affair Caolán Austin – Joyful, Joyful AOIBHA – Insignificance RUÁ – Sunrise (The ghost of me loves the ghost of you) Cruel…

Long-time heroes of Ireland’s underground electronic scene, Paul Morrin (Spectac / Front End Synthetics) and Dunk Murphy (Sunken Foal / Countersunk, have finally joined forces in the studio as Confirmation Getup. Though their friendship dates back to schoolyard mischief, they’d never actually made music together until now. The result is Style Time: a heady, gloriously crooked suite of modular funk, skewed electro and machine-led oddity. Built from traded doodles, fast instincts and a shared sense of play, it’s locked in as one of the Irish LPs of the year. Here, they dissect the album track-by-track, tracing moments of offbeat inspiration,…

Two of the very best Irish releases of the year so far from Stratford Rise and Search Results, and essential new tracks by Thumper, Monday’s Child, Laura Duff, Foreign Mornings and more. Stratford Rise – Stratford Rise Stratford Rise by Stratford Rise Search Results – Go Mutant Go Mutant by Search Results Thumper – The Drip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Tsig43okIs Monday’s Child – In My Own Time Laura Duff – Sea Legs Foreign Mornings – Born to Be This Way Born To Be This Way by Foreign Mornings Daithí and Sinead White – Can’t Even Tell Me For Those I Love – Of…

Ennis, Co. Clare singer-songwriter and filmmaker Susan O’Neill, live at Vicar Street in Dublin. Photos by David McEneaney.

Few festivals on the island offer the kind of sustained, deep magic that Sounds from a Safe Harbour manages to conjure. Returning to Cork City from 11th to 14th September for its 10th edition, the festival remains one of Ireland’s most consistently rewarding fixtures – an unpredictable, collaborative gathering rooted in ritual, risk, and resonance. This year’s edition opens with Remembering Talos, a poignant tribute to the late Eoin French at Cork Opera House, before the city blooms into life with performances, premieres, and unexpected encounters across multiple venues. Built around the 37d03d residency and curated by Mary Hickson, Cillian…

The highly-anticipated second LP by M(h)aol, the debut collaborative album from Confirmation Setup, aka Paul Morrin and Dunk Murphy, and essential new releases by YARD, Our Krypton Son, Tebi Rex (IRELAND IS NOT FULL!) and more. M(h)aol – Something Soft Something Soft by M(h)aol AOIBHA – Saturn’s Return Saturn's Return by AOIBHA Confirmation Getup – Style Time Style Time by Confirmation Getup Our Krypton Son – Trouble in Ward 4 Trouble In Ward 4 by Our Krypton Son YARD – YARD YARD by YARD Brigid Mae Power – Silver Strand Tapes Silver Strand Tapes by Brigid Mae Power Tebi Rex…