• Slow Place Like Home – When I See You…Ice Cream!

    Long one of our favourite Irish acts – here they are as cover stars of our fifteenth issue – Donegal-based psychedelic electronic outfit Slow Place Like Home release their new album, When I See You…Ice Cream! on October 20. As with all Slow Place… material to date, it’s written, performed and produced by Keith Mannion. Written between Knather Woods in Donegal’s Ballyshannon, and the Algarve in Portugal, it somehow bears a sun-kissed somnambulance to match the cartography. The second single, ‘Echoes‘, featuring vocals from Fearghal McKee of ’90s cult Irish alt. rockers Whipping Boy, and album artwork comes from Derry artist John Rooney. The album was mastered by Morr Music’s Antony Ryan…

  • Hiva Oa – Mk 2 (Part 2)

    Brooding, atmospheric Belfast-based duo Hiva Oa release their new EP, Mk II (Part 2), following up on last year’s in-parenthesis Part 1. Based around core members Stephen Houlihan & Christine Tubridy, with outside help from Matthew Collings, Daithi McNabb & Chris McCorry, the pair lived in Edinburgh for several years before returning to Ireland and instilling new life into the project. Hiva Oa’s recent material has taken some cues in mood from post-punk & experimental electronica, filtered through the lens of contemporary indie music, not without its pop merit – paving a sonic path not unlike that of latter day Radiohead. The EP displays a breadth of unrestricted instrumentation & arrangements by band’s…

  • Rave New World (2/10)

    With Antoin struck down by the wifi devils, Aidan Hanratty delivers the lowdown on all the very best electronic gigs, tracks, mixes and releases of the week. GIGS Trade (Blawan + Surgeon) & Sunil Sharpe at District 8 Friday 2 October 2015 What a lineup. Techno heavyweights Blawan and Surgeon come together under their Trade banner, while their friend and associate Sunil Sharpe supports. This will be big. Out To Lunch presents Laurel Halo, Andras Fox and Aquarian at Bar Tengu Saturday 3 October 2015 Out To Lunch present another stellar lineup at Bar Tengu. Laurel Halo, a worthy draw anyway, has…

  • Rave New World (28/8)

    Antoin Lindsay and Aidan Hanratty deliver their their weekly look at the very best electronic gigs, tracks, releases and mixes. GIGS Twitch Present: Anthony Naples and Pariah at The Bunatee, Belfast Saturday 29 August Two brilliant producers and DJs in their own right, Twitch bring together Pariah and Anthony Naples for what should be a cracker. Last time I seen either of them in Belfast they went down absolute treats with the crowd, so expect this one to be no different.  AL Beat BBQ present: Lil Louis at Aether & Echo, Belfast Sunday 30 August A bank holiday means only…

  • Listen: Speed of Snakes – Speed of Snakes

    Not content to be in only one of the best bands in Ireland, Dublin-based electronic duo Speed of Snakes – comprising of Vinny from the now-deceased (still-warm) Adebisi Shank and Rupert from BATS – have unveiled an eponymous new track from their upcoming debut album of the same name. Having long been collaborating, with signs of a more extensive live & recorded output in 2015, their last release was hypnotic groover ‘Backbone of Night‘. Check out ‘Speed of Snakes’: