• The Pressure is Off: An Interview with Joe Mount of Metronomy

    July 13, 2016 - By 

    Metronomy are just one of those bands. On average the group have released a full record every two to three years, each one to more acclaim and appreciation than the last. From their wonky, wild sophomore record Nights Out to the refined pop reflections of Love Letters they’ve been a group whose steady rise through the ranks has looked almost easy. So easy in fact that it’s hard to imagine that it’s been a whole decade since the release of their outrageous debut Pip Paine (Pay the £5000 You Owe). ‘I suppose I’m part of the furniture,’ muses Joe Mount.…

  • Picture This: Your National Visual Arts Guide – Environment

    July 12, 2016 - By 

    The concept of environments, and environmental impact, resonates across the broad content and diverse mediums featured in this edition of The Thin Air’s Picture This. While this theme is present in the traditional sense of the impact we as a human race have had on the environment, it is more keenly felt in the reverse and the impact an environment can have on us – the subject and the audience. The four shows highlight how it can alter the cultures and traditions of its inhabitants, help formulate ideologies and craft viewpoints. In a broader sense we also see the impact…

  • Feel Good Lost’s 5th Birthday

    July 12, 2016 - By 

    The working name for Cork director, editor, designer, cameraman, alternative DJ, live visual artist and media designer Brendan Canty, Feel Good Lost just celebrated their 5th birthday party in the panoramic Mitchelstown Caves. This year featured candlelit performances from the enigmatic JFDR (Iceland) and an immense and explorative performance from Cork act Talos. As well as taking photos of the event, Blair Alexander Massie had the pleasure of chatting with Brendan about the milestone. After 5 longs years of emails, flights, videos, EP and LP’s and now a show in a cave. What’s the most rewarding part about what you…

  • Festival Mixtape: Longitude 2016

    July 12, 2016 - By 

    Set to return to Dublin’s Marlay Park this weekend, the three-day line-up for this year’s Longitude is easily one of the strongest of the Irish summer festival calendar. Headlined by Kendrick Lamar, Major Lazer and The National – as well as featuring the likes of Jamie xx, Father John Misty (pictured), Run The Jewels, Laura Mvula, Courtney Barnett, Vic Mensa and Kurt Vile & The Violators – organisers have struck a keen balance with both genre and the ratio between homegrown artists and much bigger acts. Ahead of what’s set to be yet another memorable weekend for the MCD-run festival, stream our 30…

  • Front of House: Bettine McMahon & Graham Sharpe of KnockanStockan

    July 12, 2016 - By 

    Very few Irish music festivals are imbued with the sheer independent spirit and passion for homegrown sounds that continues to set Co. Wicklow’s KnockanStockan Festival apart. Set to return to Blessington Lakes this weekend with a host of the country’s very finest artists in tow (full line-up below), Mike McGrath Bryan chats to Bettine McMahon and Graham Sharpe, festival director and music director of KnockanStockan, about their humble beginnings, the festival’s annual schedule, only booking Irish acts and what the future holds. Photos by Moira Reilly. Hi guys. Give us some insight to the beginnings and roots of Knockanstockan. Bettine:…

  • Who You Gonna Call? The Outraged, Most Likely

    July 10, 2016 - By 

    In Robert Wise’s 1971 movie adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel The Andromeda Strain, one of the four protagonists is a woman. And in the movie, there’s nothing significant or outrageous about this. She is, simply, biologically, a woman. But more importantly, she’s a character. She does stuff, she has feelings, ideas. And when a younger male cast member handles the film’s sole action sequence, it’s not because it’s a job that only a man could do, it’s because he’s younger and more physically fit. In the current era of re-boots, The Andromeda Strain is crying out for a remake, with the 1971-stylings of the film…

  • Monday Mixtape: Joe Greene (Documenta)

    July 11, 2016 - By 

    This week’s eclectic Monday Mixtape comes courtesy of Joe Greene, who has been at the helm of some of the most cosmically enveloping music ever to come out of Belfast, courtesy of  psych/drone-pop seven-piece Documenta. They’re to release an extended version of the David Holmes-produced ‘Love As A Ghost’ (artwork above, single below) originally from their excellent 2015 album, Drone Pop #1, through Touch Sensitive Records. Documenta play Mister Tom’s Lounge at Lavery’s, Belfast on July 22 to coincide with the single’s release. Now, over to Joe. “In no particular order here are a few of my favourite things.” Big Star – For You I first heard Big Star when I was a teenager way…

  • May Kay: Rip It Off and Start Again

    July 9, 2016 - By 

    Fight Like Apes‘ frontwoman May Kay tackles the age-old thin line separating homage and unwitting imitation. It’s an extremely distressing situation. You’ve spent weeks, maybe months on a song. You started off with a devilishly catchy riff (if you don’t say so yourself). You built everything around that, you scrapped some things and started again, still with the same riff, determined to make it work. You put some lyrics on there. Scrap some. Add some new ones. Eventually you finish it. It is the most exciting thing. It really is like all your Christmas’ have come at once. That is,…

  • Rave New World (08/07)

    July 8, 2016 - By 

    Lucky Antoin Lindsay is off to Freerotation, so Aidan Hanratty is here to bring you the week’s best gigs, tracks and mixes. Gigs Stone Roses Afterparty – A Guy Called Gerald & Graeme Park at Opium Rooms, Dublin Saturday 9 July Crazy as it might seem, this will probably be a super night. Acid house legends A Guy Called Gerald and Graeme Park are sure to bring things back to 88, and I’m not sure anything could ever be more fun. Out To Lunch with Jayda G and Dip at Tengu Bar – Yamamori Sushi, Dublin Saturday 9 July Dip had Jayda G (pictured)…

  • Rave New World (01/07)

    July 1, 2016 - By 

    Aidan Hanratty and Antoin Lindsay return with the best electronic gigs, tracks and mixes and releases of the week. Gigs Celtronic 2016, Derry Wednesday 29 June – Sunday 3 July We’re already two days into this year’s Celtronic, but you’ve still got a full weekend to get yourself to Derry for what is routinely Ireland’s best electronic music festival. They’ve already had the likes of The Black Madonna and Rødhåd over the last few nights but you’ve still got the likes of Barnt and Âme tonight and KiNK, Gerd Janson and Move D still to come alongside a raft of…