In virtually no time at all, Belfast’s 343 has established itself as a vital part of the city’s creative community. An artist-focused, feminist-led, queer art-space in East Belfast, it’s one of many venues fighting to survive during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Currently fundraising as part of a national initiative launched by the Music Venue Trust, the 343 are going one further with the release of the aptly-titled The 343 Vol 1. Across fifteen tracks, it’s an endlessly listenable, perfectly genre-traversing compilation, featuring TTA favourites Rising Damp, Natalia Beylis, Elaine Howley, Gross Net & Fears and more. Best of all, seeing as Bandcamp…
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We’ve premiered our fair share of albums here on The Thin Air, but – if truth be told – we’re struggling to recall one that we’ve loved so much, and so quickly, as Whole Heart by Dublin three-piece Jogging. The long-awaited follow-up to 2012’s Take Courage, it’s an emphatic (and rather heavier) ten-track return from Darren Craig, Gerard Mangan and Ronan Jackson. Out today via one of the country’s finest imprints, Out On a Limb, the album was engineered and produced by John “Spud” Murphy and Ian Chestnutt at Guerrilla Sound Studios in Dublin at the start of the year. To mark…
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On Wednesday, June 25, The Menagerie, Belfast, plays host to the new project of ex-Mojo Fury member Thomas Camblin, FLAWS. The three piece from Belfast are releasing their new EP Harsh Words Through Tangled Wires through Thomas’ new label OLD FANG which has given us the EP from Little Rivers amongst other singles. Their new record deals with “the rawness of human relationships, from broken friendships to loss and regret – peeling back appearances to show the cracks underneath”. They’ll also be supported by Michael Mormecha of Mojo Fury who will be playing his new solo material on the night. Entry…
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Recorded, mixed and mastered by Lee McMahon, Belfast-based punk quartet Safe Ships have released a brand new track, the ever-so-slightly self-referential ‘Safest of Ships’. The song is the b-side to the band’s forthcoming new single ‘Fighting Fit’, which will be launched on Wednesday, October 2 at Belfast’s Voodoo. Support on the night comes from Past Victories, Bellos and Tied To Machines. Go here for more info. Stream the rollicking ‘Safest of Ships’ via Bandcamp below.
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Co. Wicklow post-rock band God Is An Astronaut are streaming their sixth studio album, Origins, via Bandcamp. Their first album as a five-piece the album “cements their place as one of the world’s most intense, musically – and visually – inventive post rock bands”. It also sees the Torsten Kinsella-fronted band’s return to Rocket Girl Records, who released their debut album back in 2005. Check out the band’s new video for ‘Reverse World’ and stream/buy Origins below.
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Belfast-based alt-rock four-piece Linebacker Dirge have released their thirteen-track debut album, Take Shelter. Comprised of members of bands such as Kasper Rosa, A Northern Light and Affleck, the album – the long-awaited full-length follow-up to the band’s 2011 EP, There Are No Clean Getaways – was recorded by Jason Gibson (guitars/vocals), James Bruce (drums) and Ian McHugh (guitar, additional vocals). Artwork comes from John Quinn. Stream (or purchase) the album via Bandcamp below. Take Shelter by Linebacker Dirge
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Derry alt-rock quartet The Wood Burning Savages have unveiled their new single, the excellent ‘Long Good Friday’. Recorded and mixed by the band’s bassist Dan Acheson, the five-minute track follows on from the band’s previous single, ‘All I Want To Know’. The Wood Burning Savages – fronted by Paul Connolly – recently performed at the last ever Glasgowbury festival at Eagle’s Rock, Draperstown. Stream the track or buy (name your price) via Bandcamp below. Anyone else hearing Patti Smith?
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Belfast-based post-harcore/noise-rock band PigsAsPeople have released a new single titled ‘The Art Of Leaving Your Home’. Set for release on Idle&Us in September, the track is available to download for free or pay what you like via Bandcamp. Stream the track below. The Art of Leaving Your House by PigsAsPeople
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Belfast-based singer-songwriter VerseChorusVerse has unveiled the new video for the track ‘Spiders’. A so-called “paper crushed, insected, digital love story” the video for the song was animated, directed and designed by Pixelgram AKA Aaron McKee. VerseChorusVerse AKA ex-And So I Watch You From Afar guitarist Tony Wright take part in a ‘Getting to Know’ session at Belfast’s Oh Yeah Centre on Thursday, June 6. He will also play a full band show ahead of the release of his highly anticipated debut album at Belfast’s Voodoo on June 15. Go here for more information. Stream/pay what you like for the ‘Spiders’ via…