• Video Premiere: Vivid Dreamer – This Is Not Living

    July 9, 2020 - By 

    Something you may have missed amidst the maelstrom of new releases last Bandcamp Friday was the surprise announcement of Vivid Dreamer, a collaborative project between two of Belfast’s synth-pop creators par excellence. Today, they’re lifting the cloche on second single ‘This Is Not Living’, ahead of the release of their eponymous debut album this Sunday, July 12. Both as producers and songwriters – with the likes of Oppenheimer, Beauty Sleep, Malibu Shark Attack, Wonder Villains, amongst others – Rocky O’Reilly & Ryan McGroarty been directly or indirectly integral in the sound of no shortage of Northern Ireland’s most essential listening across the last 15-odd years. Vivid Dreamer…

  • Monday Mixtape: CATALAN!

    July 6, 2020 - By 

    In the latest installment of Monday Mixtape, Belfast-based musician Ewen Friers aka CATALAN! waxes lyrical about some of his all-time favourite songs, from WHY? and DakhaBrakha, to Orlando Weeks and Orchéstre Baka Gbiné. Los Cotopla Boyz – Me Malviaje Con Las Ganlletas Get your week started right – Los Cotopla Boyz blowing away the cobwebs, this was their debut track. I like how this is danceable and direct from the get-go but ends with that sort of proggy introspective outro, somehow it works. Orchéstre Baka Gbiné – Kopola Staying on the international voyage that is this playlist here’s a crucial track…

  • A Litany of Failures: Volume III Announced

    July 3, 2020 - By 

    Two years on from its second volume, islandwide independent music compilation series A Litany of Failures has opened pre-orders and announced the tracklisting for Volume III in the series – out Friday, October 2nd. More eclectic, and more export-ready than ever, the compilation features brand new music from 22 acts across Ireland, including the first recorded output from Fifty Years of Hair (Postcard Versions/Girl Band’s Dara Kiely), The Golden Cleric (Shrug Life/Girlfriend/That Snaake) and Grave Goods (Girls Names, Pins, September Girls), as well as many of our favourites – Robocobra Quartet, Silverbacks, Rising Damp, Percolator, Extravision and many more. With cover art by Nathanaël Roman, it will be accompanied by…

  • Live From Guerrilla Studios

    July 1, 2020 - By 

    Since launching back in 2011, Dublin’s Guerrilla Studios has become a vital hub in the landscape of independent Irish music. Situated under a bridged railway close to Dublin City Centre, it has produced myriad first-rate sounds from some of the country’s finest forward-pushing propositions. On Thursday, July 9, the studio space will play host to the very first episode of Live From Guerrilla Studios. The brainchild of two titans in Irish music, Ray Wingnut and John ‘Spud’ Murphy, it will feature performances from TTA favourites The Bonk and John Francis Flynn. Things kick off at 10pm from here. Stay tuned…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – July 3rd

    July 3, 2020 - By 

    It’s been a huge week, featuring new EPs from the likes of  MuRli, Arvo Party, And So I Watch You From Afar, Aislinn Logan and King Pallas, a bonus charity compilation of NI-based artists covering each other, as well as welcome returns from the likes of Fontaines DC, VerseChorusVerse, Gemma Dunleavy, Elaine Mai, Malojian, and many more. And in case you haven’t had it telegraphed by the independent acts of Ireland already today, Bandcamp are waiving all their takings until 8am on Saturday. MuRli – the CULTURE And So I Watch You From Afar – Odd Seal Successors by And So I Watch…

  • Sea Pinks Announce Indefinite Hiatus; Stream Single ‘Running Down the Clock’

    July 2, 2020 - By 

    Tomorrow, Belfast’s finest purveyors of sun-kissed jangle-pop Sea Pinks will mark 10 years in existence with a new EP. Arriving exactly a decade on from the Neil Brogan-fronted band’s debut single, ‘Japanese Knotwood’, it doubles up as an ending – an inexorable line drawn under the sand – for one of the country’s most prolific and consistently on-form bands. On the heels of its title track, we’re pleased to present a first listen to the release’s new single ‘Running Down The Clock’. Sure enough, even at the eleventh hour, Sea Pinks are a band that sound like no other. Centering on the onward march…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – June 26th

    June 26, 2020 - By 

    This week’s round-up of Irish songs features new music from the wonderful, fast-rising likes of CMAT, Silverbacks, Thumper, Ailbhe Reddy, Nevvv, Goodtime John, and the comeback single from Belfast’s Charles Hurts. Silverbacks – Up The Nurses CMAT – Rodney Charles Hurts – Living Under Lockdown Squashed by Charles Hurts Thumper – Topher Grace Ailbhe Reddy – Time Difference Nevvv – Passionate/Stupid Goodtime John – Black Sunrise Hang On by Goodtime John

  • Premiere: Charles Hurts – Living Under Lockdown

    June 26, 2020 - By 

    Though there have been many reunions and recommencements in Irish music since we launched back in May 2013, none have demanded our attention more than the long-awaited return of Charles Hurts. A solo moniker of Belfast musician Philip Quinn aka Gross Net, who is also a one-third of Grave Goods and guitarist with the currently inactive Girls Names, ‘Living Under Lockdown’ arrives eight years on from his last Charles Hurts release (Blue Valentine, a stellar split with Hello Translinks? on CF/Recs). Taken from forthcoming three-track EP Squashed, which is released on July 3, it’s a typically phantasmal effort from Quinn, and a wonderfully balmy rumination…

  • Stream: Nevvv – Passionate/Stupid

    June 26, 2020 - By 

    A soon-to-be graduate of BIMM in Dublin, Navan musician Niamh McGoldrick aka Nevvv is on a self-proclaimed mission to “deliver WonkyPop to this little break little world of ours.” The intention isn’t to “brighten, eradicate or hide from the darkness,” McGoldrick says, but to “throw a party in it.” A valiant undertaking and no mistake, and she’s already on our her way. Having already collaborated with the likes of Tribal Dance Kynsy and I Am The Main Character (a new project by Sam Burton and Ben Bix of Sim Simma) Nevvv’s lead single, ‘Passionate/Stupid’ is a deftly produced and wonderfully off-kilter alt-pop gem. Produced…

  • Watch: CMAT – Rodney

    June 24, 2020 - By 

    Having launched herself into the world via her debut single ‘Another Day (kfc)’ back in April,  County Meath singer-songwriter Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson aka CMAT has returned with another dose of first-rate alt-pop. A tongue-in-cheek ode to deceased American actor Rodney Dangerfield (but of course) the song and accompanying video has us smitten. If there’s a downright catchier song released this week, in Ireland or otherwise, we’ll be very surprised.