Search Results for: Sean Kelly

  • We’ve Only Just Begun at Whelan’s, Dublin

    August 13, 2024 - By 

    We’ve Only Just Begun is a tonic in music festival form, created to celebrate the wealth of musical talent possessed by women and non-binary artists of Ireland. Taking place in Whelan’s over a balmy mid-August weekend, showcased a mere fraction of feminine musical power on the island. Comprising both Whelan’s upstairs and main stages, the festival boasts alumni ranging from Soda Blonde and Sorcha Richardson to SPRINTS and Cathy Davey. This year’s line-up included Choice Music Prize nominee Ezra Williams, 2FM Rising Star Qbanna and radio presenter and musician Rachel Mae Hannon. A report published by research activist group Why…

  • Do The Strand: A Catch-Up With Phil Kieran

    April 16, 2024 - By 

    Ahead of its final live performance of The Strand Live this Saturday, 20th April, Belfast producer and techno legend Phil Kieran talks to Andrew Moore about constant evolution, AI’s impact on music and his masterfully ambitious new studio album Photo by Sean McMahon Originally published in the Spring 2023 issue of The Thin Air Buy tickets to The Strand Live, featuring Phil Kieran and the Ulster Orchestra, here It’s 5:32pm on a grey Monday afternoon in Belfast and electronic composer Phil Kieran is quietly working away in his studio. Located in the old Strand Cinema – and the new Strand…

  • The Thin Air’s Top 100 Irish Tracks of 2021

    December 16, 2021 - By 

    Without a shadow of a doubt, more new Irish music has flown into our inboxes over the last 12 months than any year since we launched back in 2013. As we low-key stressed out on a shared Google doc to compile our annual end-of-year lists, it got us wondering: was it all happenstance or, you know, a direct result of [gestures wildly] all the shite that’s been going on? We can’t say for sure but the latter definitely checks out. Whether for release, distraction, or escape – stemming from time freed-up or inspiration en masse – artists from every corner of…

  • Premiere: Strange Boy feat. Hazey Haze – Hahaha

    June 17, 2021 - By 

    Back in April, we had the pleasure of premiering one of the Irish songs of the year so far: ‘Waiting’ by the fast-rising Jonen Dekay aka Strange Boy. Two months on, the Limerick rapper is on the cusp of releasing his highly-anticipated debut album, Holy/Unholy. Dropping next Friday, June 25th, the 10-track album features collaborations with the likes of Clannad’s Moya Brennan (‘Beginnings’) and Seán McNally Kelly (‘Forgotten’). Elsewhere is an outright peak from the album, ‘Hahaha’. A collaboration with fellow Limerick rapper Hazey Haze, it’s a masterfully believable effort that marries marrying skeletal trad with bars of pure-cut personal truth. Have a…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – April 9

    April 9, 2021 - By 

    It’s been another stellar week for new releases in every corner of the island. Delve into the best of the lot, featuring Katie Kim & Sean Mac Erlaine, D. McCabe, Beoga, Maria Kelly, TAYNE, Sinéad O’Brien, Elkin, James Bruce and more Katie Kim & Sean Mac Erlaine – Empire One Empire One by Katie Kim & Seán Mac Erlaine D. McCabe – The One They Couldn’t Fix The One They Couldn’t Fix by D. McCabe Maria Kelly – Martha Martha by Maria Kelly Sinéad O’Brien – Kid Stuff Beoga – Breathe EP James Bruce – Elephant Elephant by James Bruce…

  • A Problem Shared: How The Irish Music Community is Navigating Self-Isolation

    March 25, 2020 - By 

    A wise man once said, “The country’s cowped”. And you know what? He wasn’t wrong. But in strange, unprecedented times – in totally unchartered territory such as this – it doesn’t take long for the best of us to come together. Even now, as we’re all adapting to being cooped up in our own liminal little worlds, a sense of solidarity in numbers grows stronger by the day. For many of us self-isolating like it’s nobody’s business, the last week-and-a-bit has felt more than a little dream-like. And yet, loitering in the forefront of my mind, demanding to be heeded, is…

  • Watch: No Oil Paintings – Something Like The Truth

    June 14, 2019 - By 

    Two years on from the release of their well-received second EP, Too Close to the Sun, fast-rising Belfast quartet No Oil Paintings have returned with their most emphatic single to date, ‘Something Like the Truth’. Across four minutes of ascending, fist-clenched intent, the harmony-driven ‘Something Like the Truth’ firmly positions the four-piece as one of Ireland’s finest, most forward-pushing alternative folk outfits. Accompanied by a stellar video courtesy of By Elephant, the single is equal parts equal parts socio-political and earworming gem focusing on the increasing lack of humanity in modern society. Bolstered by the soaring backing vocals courtesy of brothers…