• 16 For ’16: i am niamh

    January 21, 2016 - By 

    We continue our 16 For ’16 feature – looking at 16 Irish acts we’ve the highest of hopes for in 2016 – with Dublin singer-songwriter Niamh Parkinson AKA i am niamh. Words by Mike McGrath Bryan. Photo by Isabel Thomas. Classically-trained vocalist Niamh Parkinson spent 2015 finishing and unveiling her debut full-length, Wonderland, a study in musical curiosity that sees her utilise her voice over loop-driven piano and ambitious cellos. Balancing her boundless musical ability with her own thematic explorations, the result is one of Ireland’s most promising young composers stepping into her own. ‘Hang On!’, released a few months back, marks…

  • IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards

    January 21, 2016 - By 

    The eighth outing of IMRO’s Live Music Venue of the Year awards are set to take place at their HQ in Dublin on Tuesday, February 16. With two new awards being added to this year’s proceedings – the IMRO Outstanding Contribution to Live Music 2015 and Best Venue/Technical Crew 2015 – the annual awards celebrates the dedication and passion of those who work in Ireland’s live music venues. More than 11,000 IMRO members considered hundreds of venues across the country for the shortlist and venues were judged “on their commitment to providing the core elements that make for a great…

  • Stream: Wyvern Lingo – Letter to Willow

    January 20, 2016 - By 

    Off the back of the release of their cover of Hozier’s Run (which we covered here), Bray trio Wyvern Lingo’s new single ‘Letter to Willow’ reveals a band brimming with confidence ahead of what’s almost certain to be a massive few months. Brilliantly bobbing and funk-inflected in all the right places, the song is driven forth with a nicely understated groove allowing exceptionally-crafted harmonies and the threesome’s seasoned musicianship to take centre-stage. ‘Letter to Willow’ is the title track from Wyvern Lingo’s forthcoming EP, set for release on March 4. The band play Dublin’s Button Factory on Friday, April 1.

  • 16 For 16: SlowPlaceLikeHome

    January 20, 2016 - By 

    We continue our 16 for ’16 feature – profiling sixteen Irish artists we’re pining our proverbial hopes on in 2016 – with Donegal’s Keith Mannion AKA SlowPlaceLikeHome. Words by Eoin Murray. Photo by Martin McGagh For several years, Donegal’s Keith Mannion has been crafting breezy music that channels the sensations of experiencing a coastal storm from behind a window; a fireplace warming your back, protecting you from the chaos outside. Moving from a style that closely resembled Boards of Canada, Solar Bears and Air on his Post Hoc EP in 2013 to a more live focus on 2015’s debut LP…

  • Stream: Imploded View – Fame (David Bowie Cover)

    January 20, 2016 - By 

    One of a number of Irish artists heavily inspired by David Bowie, Longford producer Jerome McCormick AKA Imploded View has re-framed the former’s 1975 classic ‘Fame’ in the guise of playful, slow-burning electronica. On his Soundcloud page, McCormick said, “I could not believe the news when I heard about David Bowie’s departure. Such an inspirational artist, and while the world has lost a real heavyweight, the inspiration lives on. That said, there’s no denying that the world is a bit suckier without David Bowie in it. I did this remix as a tribute to one of my favourite artists…” Co-written with Carlos Alomar and…

  • Watch: Cry Monster Cry – Old At Heart

    January 19, 2016 - By 

    Dublin alt-pop brother duo Richie and Jamie Martin AKA Cry Monster Cry well and truly made their arrival with the release of their acclaimed debut album, Rhythm of Dawn, last March. A highlight from that, their new single ‘Old at Heart’ tells a tale of what it means to belong and exist in a sprawling urban jungle, where disconnection and wearing a mask to get by are all but two sides of the same coin. Tempering the stark reality with quiet, almost romantic objectivity – helped along with the song’s delicate acoustic arpeggios and warm electric swells – it makes for the pair’s strongest single…

  • Inbound: Mongrel State

    January 19, 2016 - By 

    Ahead of the launch of their their debut album, Mestizo, at Dublin’s Whelan’s on Saturday, January 30, we get the lowdown on Dublin-based Americana-tinged rockers Mongrel State. Photos by Brian Mulligan. Hi guys, first off, for the unacquainted: when did you form how did the band come about? Was it destiny? Compromise? Start off as a Boney M cover band and decide to keep it going with original material? Darren Flynn (bass/vocals): Hah! No, not Boney M! Claudio (Mercante; guitar/vocals) and I originally met when he joined a cover band I was in – more old school rock n’ roll though (lots of Stones…

  • 16 For 16: Cian Nugent

    January 19, 2016 - By 

    Our feature profiling sixteen Irish acts we’re absolutely certain will do special things this year, we continue 16 for ’16 today in the company of Dublin’s Cian Nugent. Words by Mike McGrath Bryan. Photo by Cait Fahey Cian Nugent has undergone a profound and constant evolution since debut album ‘Doubles’ arrived in 2011. From acoustic explorations, through drone and psychedelia, Nugent arrives at Night Fiction, showcasing new sounds and a newfound focus on songcraft and simplicity. Shock of all shocks, Nugent even sings on his new full-length, releasing on the 29th on WOODSIST Records. In his debut as a singer-songwriter,…

  • Stream: Bear Worship – Our Friends

    January 18, 2016 - By 

    Evoking everything from the chamber folk balladry of Department of Eagles to the floaty dream-pop of Candy Claws, ‘Our Friends’ by Dublin’s Karl Knuttel AKA Bear Worship is a track revolving around the ever fractious realms of belonging/non-belonging and friendship. Released as a Double A-Side alongside ‘Pagodas’, the opening decree of the track – “I don’t belong here at all” – most certainly holds a sense of import throughout its four-odd minutes of brilliantly burrowing, subtly infectious chimera. Heck, we’ll go out on a limb here: four/five listens in, it’s one of the best tracks from an Irish solo artist we’ve heard in ages.

  • Stream: Hot Cops – Passive Passive

    January 18, 2016 - By 

    Tipping the proverbial hat to a profusion of well-established indie-rock hallmarks whilst successfully maintaining a unique sonic identity is no mean feat in 2016. Belfast trio Hot Cops‘ are one such act who fall under that slimmest of brackets – something their diffident, zig-zagging new single ‘Passive Passive’ nicely attests to. Stream it via Soundcloud below. ‘Passive Passive’ and it’s b-side ‘Scared of Everything’ will be released on teal vinyl via Paper Trail Records (limited to 100 copies) on February 8.