• Stream: A.S. Fanning – Never Been Gone

    October 6, 2017 - By 

    Self-produced and recorded in his current home of Berlin, Dublin singer-songwriter A.S Fanning will release his debut album, Second Life, via Proper Octopus Records on October 13. Having made a dent via his debut single ‘Carmelita’ back in late 2015 – a carefully-crafted, almost Cohen-esque track we said “harked back whilst preserving a very present-day resonance” – new single ‘Never Been Gone’ is a deceptively refined effort, whose lilting folk-pop effulgence blends organ, fingerpicked guitar, a sweet little whistle solo and more over three minutes. Few artists can make music with two chords go a long way – Fanning makes…

  • Belfast, Don’t Miss This Party on Saturday

    October 2, 2017 - By 

    The third installment of an ongoing series, a downright unmissable party featuring Not Squares, Twitch DJs, Robocobra Quartet, Chris Hanna, Blue Whale and much more will take place in a secret location somewhere in Belfast this Saturday, October 7. Want in? Here’s the lowdown: Location: TBA (Belfast) Doors: 8:30pm Last Entry: 9:30pm Min. Donation: £10 BYOB With live music ‘til late from: Not Squares Blue Whale Robocobra Quartet Hornets CATALAN! Beauty Sleep Plus DJ sets from – Twitch DJs Chris Hanna Marion Hawkes Chill & Nephillim Cardinal & Underdog Gav Williams Mista Meez Crilli DJs Anton K + More Places are…

  • My Dad Wrote a Porno @ Vicar Street, Dublin

    September 25, 2017 - By 

    There’s a sense of giddy anticipation in the air as Vicar Street fills up to the brim with die-hard fans and casuals alike. On the third night of Dublin’s inaugural podcast festival one of the biggest hitters in the world of podcasts is in town to debut a brand new chapter in the erotic adventures of Belinda Blumenthal. I am, of course, talking about My Dad Wrote a Porno, the smash hit comedy which has been downloaded over 50 million times and has been given the seal of approval by celebrity guests such as Elijah Wood and Michael Sheen. Jaime…

  • Foo Fighters – Concrete and Gold

    September 19, 2017 - By 

    The Internet loves a good pop culture theory right? Tarantino films all share the same universe. Ed, Edd n Eddy is actually a metaphor for hell. People actually enjoy listening to Father John Misty. The list goes on. I’d like to put forth my own one which I think holds some water:         The quality of a Foo Fighters’ album is inversely proportional to the number of members of the Foo Fighters. Let’s look at the evidence shall we? We can all agree that the first album is probably the best thing that the group has put…

  • Album Stream: Kieran O’Brien – Turn

    September 18, 2017 - By 

    Galway’s Kieran O’Brien has been honing his style for some time now. From the atmospheric folk that defined last year’s After The Storm to the dream-pop leanings of June’s ‘Only A Dream’, the songwriter’s work to date has been explorative, sincere and endlessly refreshing. Returning now with his second EP, Turn, the ventures into a full-band sound are becoming more sure-footed and assertive, taking as many cues from the likes of The War On Drugs and Real Estate as from stalwarts of the Americana folk tradition. Speaking of the new EP’s thematic foundation, O’Brien said: “After The Storm reminisced heavily on the ocean and past events. These songs look ahead, towards…

  • Watch: Eraser TV – Golden Boy

    August 29, 2017 - By 

    The astutely-named debut EP, Buzzfeed Depression Quiz, from Limerick indie rockers Eraser TV now has an accompanying video for its nine minute centrepiece, ‘Golden Boy’. A composition reminiscent in scope and mood to David Pajo’s Papa M, or slowcore greats Codeine, ‘Golden Boy’ never drags as much as it could; Functioning as something as a Freebird as far as rock epics go, it bucks the trend by saying more in its sole lyric than all the confederate flagwavers the ’70s could muster. The video itself eschews a potentially overdriven narrative or the dreaded ‘live performance video’ in favour of grainy, intensely frisson-inducing archival footage of war, giving the song…

  • Video Premiere: Chirps – Pink Noise

    August 21, 2017 - By 

    It’s been seven years since their debut album, Future Static Prologue, but Ballina-formed, Dublin-based shoegazey alt. rockers Chirps are finally gearing to follow it up with a second LP, from which we’re delighted to premiere first single ‘Pink Noise’. Featuring members of esteemed noisemakers like Hands Up Who Wants To Die, Wild Rocket, Crowhammer and Oilbag, their new album has been in the works over the last few years, gradually recorded by John ‘Spud’ Murphy – who’s also behind many of the finest independent Irish releases in recent years. A definite progression from previous work, Chirps have clocked up an astounding number of nods toward underground subgenres – most evidently shoegaze,…

  • Album Stream: Ger Fox Sailing – Ger Fox Sailing

    August 21, 2017 - By 

    Released today, the self-titled, self-produced debut album from Wexford quartet Ger Fox Sailing is a richly-woven, nicely eclectic collection of songs from a band who have just set out their stall and then some. From the contemplative precision of ‘Nowhere Without You’ and the poppier tangents of ‘What It Is’ to blistering closer ‘Best Friend’ via a stream of scuzz-laden, occasionally prog-leaning rock, reverberations from the likes of Longpigs, Incubus, Queens of the Stone Age, Grandaddy and, in parts, Northern Irish alt-rock band Pocket Promise (though we suspect the latter is something of a total coincidence) coalesce with the band’s own…

  • Stream: Hvmmingbyrd – Gozo

    August 1, 2017 - By 

    Dublin-based ethereal pop duo Hvmmingbyrd have shared ‘Gozo’, their first new music in nearly a year. Ahead of a string of Irish dates starting this month, Deborah Byrne and Suzette Das’ latest outing is a warm, R&B-tinted slice of soulful pop. With vocal harmonies and delicate rhythms invoking the likes of fellow Dublin act Saint Sister but with their own electronic flavours giving it a life that is entirely its own, ‘Gozo’ is a step in the right direction for the duo and one that is making us eager to hear more. Hear the track below, and have a look at the marvellous poster for details…