• Irish Tracks of the Week – 29th March

    March 29, 2024 - By 

    The floating landmass we find ourselves upon is, once again, bursting at the seams with world-beating new sounds. Delve into the latest from Niamh Bury, Becky McNiece, Ciara O’Neill, Akrobat, Conn Thornton and more Niamh Bury – Yellow Roses Becky McNeice – Melting Ciara O Neill – Mother Seán Clancy – Four Sections of Music Unequally Divided Lord Jane – I Did It To Myself mellorush – wishing on a star Conn Thornton – I Believe In You Meteorite Season by Conn Thornton Akrobat – Shank Akrobat · Shank The Personal Vanity Project – Callan NAHreally & The Expert –…

  • Thranifesto: An Interview with Leeann Toland

    March 27, 2024 - By 

    Ahead of live outings in Belfast, Derry & Dundalk for her first special, Thranifesto, Derry-based comedian Leeann Toland chats to us about the local scene, the etymology of thranness, bridging comedy and music, loving problematic men, and Madonna as a psychohistorical tool. Photo by Billy Woods How is the comedy scene in Derry, and how did you get started within it? The scene is quite small in Derry but strong, The Cosh – run by Fintan Harvey and Ro Boyle – has a monthly night on in The Brickwork – run by Peter E Davidson – too, where I’ll be…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 22nd March

    March 22, 2024 - By 

    It’s been another ridiculous week for world-beating Irish music. Dig into new Fears, MELTS, David Holmes, New Jackson, Lucy Gaffney, Kormac feat. MayKay and more MELTS – Waves of Wonder Fears – affinity affinity by Fears Kormac feat. MayKay – Waiting on You David Holmes feat. Raven Violet – Blind On A Galloping Horse Remixes Vol. 2 David Holmes Ft. Raven Violet – Blind On A Galloping Horse (Remixes Vol. 2) by David Holmes Lucy Gaffney – Forgive to Forget New Jackson – Like Ruth Mac – Tutti Fruiti Fizzy Orange – Choo Choo

  • A Litany of Failures Announce Dublin Fundraiser Schedule

    March 21, 2024 - By 

    In conjunction with IMRO, Irish grassroots independent compilation series A Litany Of Failures is set to hold a bank holiday weekend-long fundraiser over March 30th & 31st at the Button Factory. The two day event will act as a fundraiser for Volume V of the compilation series, which was been described by the Irish Times as “indispensable listening for any Irish music fan with a modicum of taste”. The full lineup is a veritable who’s who of forward-thinking Irish artistry from all corners of the island. The project was conceived as a way that DIY and independent artists could come…

  • Tight Unit, Closer Friends: An Interview With Search Results

    March 18, 2024 - By 

    Since featuring them as an Inbound artist late last year, Search Results have smitten many more listeners with their masterfully mercurial indie-rock craft Ahead of what’s set to be a packed few months, Danny Kilmartin chats to Dublin trio – guitarist Fionn Brennan, drummer Jack Condon and bassist Adam Hoban – about the road less travelled they have taken to their upcoming second LP Photos by Monika Ruman What’s in a name – why Search Results? Jack: We lost a bet with Shane Clifford. You started writing together very quickly after first meeting. What was it that brought you together…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 15th March

    March 15, 2024 - By 

    With not a single St. Paddy’s-angled misfire among them, today sees essential new albums from Blue Whale and HAVVK, Fight Like Apes covering a Sinéad O’Connor classic in aid of Palestine, stellar new tracks by Garrett Laurie, Ciaran Lavery and more Blue Whale – Last Immediate Images Fight Like Apes – Black Boys on Mopeds Garrett Laurie – No Warning Ciaran Lavery – Honeybun HAVVK – To Fall Asleep To Fall Asleep by HAVVK Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin – Siren Spring Siren Spring by Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin The Guilteens – The Boat

  • Track Record: HAVVK

    March 14, 2024 - By 

      Ahead of the release of their third album tomorrow, Julie Hough and Matt Harris from HAVVK select five records that have left a deep impression on their music and lives. Photos by Monika Ruman   Olafur Arnalds – Some Kind of Peace Matt: I have always enjoyed the Erased Tapes compilations. I went to see Lowli play and we started sharing some influences and she sent me link to a performance of ‘Oldurot’ which is a track from Island Songs, the previous album. It hit my emotions and then she got me Some Kind of Peace after we did…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – March 8th

    March 8, 2024 - By 

    From a brace of beautiful LPs by Anamoe Drive and Oisin Leech to new tracks by Casavettes, Blue Whale, Cherym, Thom Southern and more, here’s the very best Irish music of the week just gone Photo by Greg Purcell Casavettes – Cois Farraige/Fold Cois Farraige by Casavettes Anamoe Drive – Breakfast in Bed Blue Whale – Carpet Man Oisin Leech – Cold Sea Cherym – Boss Bitch Boss Bitch (Doja Cat Cover) by CHERYM Nahreally + The Expert feat. Hemlock Ernst – Movement and Light BLIP by NAHreally & The Expert Thom Southern – The Guy In The Suit and…

  • Whaling On: An Interview With Blue Whale

    March 6, 2024 - By 

    Next Friday, March 15, Belfast jazz-punk band Blue Whale return with their highly-anticipated second LP, Last Immediate Images. The follow-up to 2018’s Process, it’s another masterfully shapeshifting leap forward from one of the island’s most fiercely unpigeonholeable bands. Recorded and produced by Gilla Band’s Dan Fox, the album is a remarkable expansion, and deft deconstruction, of what the Quietus once hailed as their “chaotic, yet controlled experimental rock.” Ahead of its release, Cathal McBride spoke with guitarist Ben Behzadafshar about prolonged experimentation, the magic of biding one’s timing, being ‘sound carriers’ for Damo Suzuki and more. Blue Whale launch Last…

  • Track-by-Track: Chalk – Conditions II

    March 5, 2024 - By 

    Ahead of what looks primed to be a breakthrough year for the fast-rising electronic/noise rock Belfast trio, Chalk vocalist and producer Ross Cullen takes us on a track-by-track tour of the diverse influence and inspiration behind their brand new EP, Conditions II The Gate Conditions II by Chalk ‘The Gate’ is all about pressure and the pressures of being in a band. It began with a drum and bass loop I found on Splice alongside some 1/16 notes from a preset called Demented Percussion on Logic. Combining those two sounds set up the energy of the track fairly quickly. There’s a…