• Playlist: Hooked On Classics

    September 1, 2015 - By 

    The death of James Last earlier this year highlighted the often strange relationship between “pop” and “serious” music, Diarmuid Kennedy writes. Last’s weird function seems to have been to take easily digestible popular music and make it even blander – the musical equivalent of a chip milkshake.  Mercifully there are other approaches. David Lang’s version of the Velvet Underground’s ‘Heroin’ makes it an even darker, more haunting song.   The Alarm Will Sound ensemble has knocked out a complete album of Aphex Twin arrangements.   The percussionist Joby Burgess’ Powerplant project has taken on some of Kraftwerk’s canon for their…

  • Track Record: The Late David Turpin

    September 1, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Track Record, Dublin artist David Turpin (AKA The Late David Turpin) selects and talks about some of his all-time favourite records. The Late David Turpin’s concert Romances will take place at Project Arts Centre, Dublin on September 17 as part of Tiger Dublin Fringe. Photos by Abigail Denniston. Bjork – Medulla I love Medulla because it’s very beautiful, and it’s also very ugly – like the interior of a human body. Watching a documentary I was struck by how germane and technical Bjork is in the studio – which is not always how she’s presented as…

  • Bookmark: Will O’Connor

    September 24, 2015 - By 

    Will O’Connor is a producer and recording engineer based in Galway. His band Grounds For Invasion released their debut album Dying Stars in February. He mostly reads fiction. Photos by Sean McCormack. Cormac McCarthy – The Border Trilogy It’s hard to sum up what McCarthy did with these novels. Yes, they’re violent and tragic, but they’re also fiercely beautiful. Have a Spanish-English dictionary handy. * Although this might be me being an arse again. Raymond Chandler – The Big Sleep Thrilling, funny and entertaining. Guy drives around a lot, gets punched a lot, drinks a lot, meets lots of inexplicably…

  • Visual Arts Outlook (27/8)

    August 27, 2015 - By 

    Visual Arts Outlook readers and lovely art enthusiasts, I am away next week so I have included several events in the Outlook that are opening next week so you don’t have to go without! In my absence, don’t forget that next Thursday is Late Night Art Belfast (Thursday 4th) so there will lots of galleries open from 6pm-9pm that evening. There is a good variety of exhibitions and happenings opening over the next two weeks across Ireland so I would encourage you to attend as many as possible and support your local arts scene! On Friday evening this week at…

  • Rave New World (28/8)

    August 28, 2015 - By 

    Antoin Lindsay and Aidan Hanratty deliver their their weekly look at the very best electronic gigs, tracks, releases and mixes. GIGS Twitch Present: Anthony Naples and Pariah at The Bunatee, Belfast Saturday 29 August Two brilliant producers and DJs in their own right, Twitch bring together Pariah and Anthony Naples for what should be a cracker. Last time I seen either of them in Belfast they went down absolute treats with the crowd, so expect this one to be no different.  AL Beat BBQ present: Lil Louis at Aether & Echo, Belfast Sunday 30 August A bank holiday means only…

  • Interview: Beach House

    August 25, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of their highly-anticipated return to Belfast and Dublin in late October, Beach House will release their stellar fifth full-length album, Depression Cherry, via Bella Union on Friday, August 28. Touching on the past, present and future of the band, Brian Coney talks energy, myth and release with the band’s frontwoman Victoria Legrand. Hi Victoria. You’ve recently released a statement about Depression Cherry that includes, “Here, we continue to let ourselves evolve while fully ignoring the commercial context in which we exist.” I really like that. Is not being misunderstood that important to you? It’s not about being misunderstood or anything like that. In order for…

  • Noise in the Signal: How IASCA’s New Submission System Hurts Independent Music

    August 24, 2015 - By 

    This past week, music rights association IASCA triumphantly announced its deal with online content delivery specialists Yangaroo, to adapt their radio submission system for Ireland. This was sold as a triumph for Irish independent music, as now there will apparently be a more direct path to station heads’ ears via their streamlined system, and apparently, as a result, more scope for radio play. A nice idea, but one that leaves more questions than answers. COSTS: At present, it costs nothing to bung together a .WAV with a press release and a few .JPGs to send off to various D.J.s and…

  • Premiere: Music For Dead Birds – English Weed/What a Waste

    August 24, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of the unveiled of an EP for September, we’re pleased to premiere a pre-release double-single of sorts from Galway/Mayo duo Music For Dead Birds. Brimming with the band’s distinctive brand of lo-fi indie “anti-folk”, ‘English Weed/What a Waste’ clocks in at just under seven minutes but still manages to pack an emphatic punch. Seemingly operating outside of any strong semblance of a scene in Connacht, Jimmy Monaghan and Dónal Walsh continue to embody the outsider spirit that they drove home on the likes of 2009’s And Then It Rained For Seven Days, the sublime The Pope’s Sister and their album, Vitamins,…

  • Rave New World (21/8)

    August 21, 2015 - By 

    Aidan Hanratty and Antoin Lindsay return for this week’s Rave New World, your indispensable, Friday-afternoon guide to all the very best electronic gigs, tracks, releases and mixes. GIGS Scavenger €5 Party Feat. ‘Looking for the Perfect Beat’ Screening at The Wiley Fox Saturday, 22 August New night Scavenger has had some impressive guests lately, but this weekend they’re throwing a wallet-friendly €5 party in The Wiley Fox, where you can get to grips with the night’s MO. They’re also screening LA beat scene documentary Looking for the Perfect Beat, which focuses on one 24-hour period in LA and follows the likes…

  • Inbound: Peter McVeigh

    August 20, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Inbound, we chat to Belfast-based singer-songwriter Peter McVeigh, touching on the recording and release of his new album, PM, collaborating with an array of musicians on the release and the current state of the Irish music industry. Hi Peter. First thing’s first: for those not acquainted with your backstory, how did you first get into writing and making music? I’ve always played music of some sort. I played flute at primary school, got kicked out of it for not doing my homework in high school and decided to teach myself piano, guitar and sing. Then…