• The Record: Heroes In Hiding

    June 5, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of The Record, Cian Donohoe, drummer from Dublin folk-rock quartet Heroes In Hiding offers an insight into the writing and recording of their second EP, Decorated Absence, which is released today. Photos by Tara Thomas. “Our second EP, Decorated Absence was recorded and produced by Philip Magee. The writing and recording process was hugely different to our first EP, Hush, which was released in March last year. Hush was self-produced and recorded and then mixed by SOAK’s producer, the brilliant Declan Legge. That first EP was a much longer and more easygoing process than the one we have just…

  • Festival Mixtape: Electric Picnic 2015

    June 3, 2015 - By 

    With Blur, Grace Jones, FKA Twigs, Mac DeMarco and more added to the bill yesterday, this year’s Electric Picnic is shaping up to be one of the best outings for the annual Co. Laois festival in years. With many more acts yet to be revealed, Interpol, Jurassic 5, Manic Street Preachers, Belle and Sebastian, Battles, The War on Drugs, Jon Hopkins and Future Islands are also amongst the acts already announced to play this year’s festival, taking place from September 4-6 at Stradbally Estate. Go here to buy tickets to Electric Picnic 2015 and check out our Festival Mixtape for EP 2015 below.

  • All Genres Weird & Wonderful: Nintendocore

    June 3, 2015 - By 

    Following on from the rather curious world of Vaporwave, Kelly Doherty continues to scour the world’s sub-genres so that you can sound informed at hipster dinner parties with minimal effort. This month: Nintendocore Name: Nintendocore Origins: The 8-bit Nintendo games of the 80s – think Super Mario, Zelda – combined with the angsty post-hardcore/metalcore that lights up the hearts of angry 15 year olds all over the world How to use it in a sentence: “All my son does anymore is sit in his room listening to Nintendocore. Between that and his obsession with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as…

  • Exclusive EP Stream: Heroes in Hiding – Decorated Absence

    June 3, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of its official launch on Friday, we’re pleased to present an exclusive first listen to Decorated Absence, the second EP from Heroes in Hiding. Produced, recorded and mixed by Philip Magee, the three-track release is all-killer, no-filler folk-pop from the Dublin four-piece, fresh from their performance at Forbidden Fruit at the weekend. Ahead of an in-studio The Record with the band tomorrow – featuring an insight into the recorded and release of the EP and featuring candid shots from our photographer Tara Thomas – stream Decorated Absence in full below. Photo by Tara Thomas

  • Track Record: Roy Duffy (Squarehead)

    June 2, 2015 - By 

    In this installment of Track Record, Roy Duffy from Squarehead takes us through some of his most influential and inspiring records in his collection from The Wipers to Vivian Girls.  Photos by Aaron Corr. Disclaimer: Nowhere in this article will I refer to “tones” “riffs” “licks” or to any aspects of technical proficiency. Radioactivity – Radioactivity I just recently moved into my current abode and my house mate was playing this relentlessly in the next room for the first few weeks. When he stopped I had to find out what it was and go buy it so I could do the…

  • Visual Arts Outlook (1/6)

    June 1, 2015 - By 

    Perhaps the main event happening this week in the Visual Arts in Belfast would be the Launch of the Annual Belfast Photo Festival. This year running from the June 4-30 there are lots of events throughout the month to go and check out, in various venues across Belfast. This weeks opening for the Photo Festival include (both on Thursday evening) The Golden Thread: To Camera: Lorraine Burrell, Amanda Coogan, Tony Hill, Tom Lovelace, Moira McIver, Maria Platero, Manuel Vason, and Ai Wei Wei. And Body of Work: Jordan Hutchings (project space) QSS Bedford Street: Metamorphosis: Thorsten Brinkmann, Alma Haser, Christiane…

  • What Happens When You Add Toto To David Lynch

    June 1, 2015 - By 

    On paper, there seems no situation that would combine the disparate elements of film-maker and master of the surreal, David Lynch, future Captain Picard and Professor X, Patrick Stewart, former Police-man Sting, ambient music guru and former glam rock icon Brian Eno, and soft-rock superstars Toto. Surely, you might say, if there was something that brought all these people together and united them on one project, that project would be a crazy, unwieldy thing, probably unloved by all? Well, if you did think that, you’d probably be right. Released in 1984, Dune was intended to cash in on the sci-fi…

  • Monday Mixtape: Elaine Howley (The Altered Hours)

    June 1, 2015 - By 

    Since we kick-started out Monday Mixtape back in January, we’ve had some truly excellent playlists courtesy of Niall Kennedy of ASIWYFA, Ciaran Lavery, Pavement’s Bob Nastanovich, Girls Names’ Claire Miskimmin, Ciaran Smith of Crayonsmith, Quasi’s Sam Coomes, September Girls, No Spill Blood’s Ror Conaty, Ricki O’Rawe of Not Squares, Sargent House’s Cathy Pellow, The Mighty Stef’s Stefan Murphy, Dara Kiely of Girl Band, Built to Spill’s Doug Martsch, Ryan Vail and Autumns’ Christian Donaghey. Today, we continue that altogether tasteful tradition with none other with Elaine Howley of Cork psych-rock wizards The Altered Hours, who selects ten of her all-time favourite songs…

  • Deep Down South: (Almost) A Half-Year Review (Of Sorts)

    June 1, 2015 - By 

    Because it’s a slow news week, and your writer is a laptop-dwelling beardo still in thrall to his most base of blogger-nerd urges, this week’s Bank Holiday installment of Deep Down South is every music pedant’s favourite – the half-year review. I’m well aware we’re only just into month six of 2015 (and this column) as of today, but it’s been a hella-busy few months, and a wee bit of stocktake is more than called for. We started the year with the promise of the Quarter Block Party, a DIY arts festival co-organised by the Makeshift Ensemble and promoters the…

  • Rave New World (29/5)

    May 29, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Rave New World, Aidan Hanratty delves into the very best electronic gigs, mixes, tracks and release of the week, featuring Luke Abbott, hold mc, Tamo Sumo (pictured) and more. GIGS Pender Street Steppers at Opium Rooms Friday, May 29 Pender Street Steppers and the whole Mood Hut crew have conquered all before them lately, and with the tiniest hint of warmth in the air now is the perfect time to catch their buoyant brand of house music. Underlying Form w/ Bruno Schmidt (hifi) at The Bunatee (Belfast) Friday, May 29 We’ve already had extensive coverage of the…