• Monday Mixtape: Lee Ranaldo

    September 21, 2015 - By 

    The folks at The Thin Air have asked me to provide an eight song mixtape. I’ve been in the studio at the moment working on ‘that difficult third album’, as Clinton Heylin calls it, and so most of what I’m listening to at the moment is the stuff we are making. But within that activity is the acknowledgment of a host of previously-made music – references, riffs, textures, emotional tones – so the following selections reflect some of these various influences we have been obsessing over at the moment. In no particular order. Something From Pet Sounds or Smile We…

  • Monday Mixtape: John Kowalski (Solar Bears)

    September 14, 2015 - By 

    Having just received test pressings for their forthcoming third album, Dublin electronic twosome Solar Bears are on the brink of re-confirming their reputation as one of our very finest outfits (not that necessarily needs doing, of course). Ahead of some more announcements, John Kowalski from the duo delivers this week’s wonderfully diverse, suitably esoteric Monday Mixtape, featuring tracks from Plaid/BDP, The Emotions, Claude Marbehant, The Remarkable Earth Making Machine and more. Photos by SCAN

  • Monday Mixtape: The Watchmakers

    August 3, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of their show at Reverbnation Psych Weekender in Dublin on August 14, self-proclaimed “fusion of shimmering, mind expanding aural surrealism and neo-psych grooves” The Watchmakers give us an insight into their current listening habits and key influences. The Babe Rainbow – Secret Enchanted Broccoli Forest Australia is currently producing some of our favourite new music. Everyone know’s all about the likes of Tame Impala, Pond and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard to name but three, but The Babe Rainbow are definitely my tip to be the next ‘Ozzy’ band to get people excited. Hinds – Trippy Gum The best act we…

  • Monday Mixtape: Bobby Aherne (No Monster Club)

    July 27, 2015 - By 

    “What kind of music are you into?” The dreaded question that, for many years, sent shivers down my spine, stopped me in my tracks and put a blank Fr. Dougal McGuire stare into my eyes. You might think that somebody who actually makes music has both the perfect response and riposte to this, assuming that one’s personal tuneage is both a distillation of their essence as well as a full-length mirror of their own tastes (incidentally reflecting back the sheer amount of plagiarism at work). Sadly, unless you decide to sit down the quizmaster and force them to endure one’s…

  • Monday Mixtape: Anton Newcombe

    July 13, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of his show with Tess Parks at Dublin’s Sugar Club on Wednesday night (July 15), Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe selects and talks about not five, not ten but twenty-three of his all-time favourite songs, featuring 13th Floor Elevators, Joni Mitchell, Dungen, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone and more. The Doors – The Crystal Ship There’s something about this beautiful love song that touched me when I was very young. Still love it. Dungen – Panda God, when this came out I was taken back – so powerful in any language. Love these guys, love Sweden. John’s Children – Smashed Blocked…

  • Monday Mixtape: Neil Allen (The Emerald Armada)

    June 29, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Monday Mixtape, Neil Allen, frontman with Northern Irish alt-folk band The Emerald Armada reveals some of his all-time favourite songs, including Temple of the Dog, The Eagles, LCD Soundsystem and John Martyn. The Emerald Armada headline this year’s Spectrum Festival at Belfast’s QUBSU on Friday, July 6. Temple Of The Dog – Hunger Strike One of the best team ups of all time. It was the first time Eddie Vedder went vocally head to head with Chris Cornell. Stone from Pearl Jam said, “That’s right, our boy can sing too!’ Great tune. LCD Soundsystem – All…

  • Monday Mixtape: Marty Harvey (War Iron/Slomatics)

    June 22, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of supporting sludge-doom overlords Eyehategod at Belfast’s Limelight 2 on Wednesday night, Marty Harvey, drummer/vocalist with Belfast very own behemothic heavyweights War Iron (not to mention the similarly Cyclopean Slomatics) selects and talks about some of his all time favourite tracks. Photo by John Gallardo All these songs for me blend heaviness and melody. I love heavy music with big riffs, noise and walls of sound, but this has to be counteracted with space, room for the music to breath or the chords, vocal harmonies to be heard. The music I prefer to listen to has to have light…

  • Monday Mixtape: Elaine Howley (The Altered Hours)

    June 1, 2015 - By 

    Since we kick-started out Monday Mixtape back in January, we’ve had some truly excellent playlists courtesy of Niall Kennedy of ASIWYFA, Ciaran Lavery, Pavement’s Bob Nastanovich, Girls Names’ Claire Miskimmin, Ciaran Smith of Crayonsmith, Quasi’s Sam Coomes, September Girls, No Spill Blood’s Ror Conaty, Ricki O’Rawe of Not Squares, Sargent House’s Cathy Pellow, The Mighty Stef’s Stefan Murphy, Dara Kiely of Girl Band, Built to Spill’s Doug Martsch, Ryan Vail and Autumns’ Christian Donaghey. Today, we continue that altogether tasteful tradition with none other with Elaine Howley of Cork psych-rock wizards The Altered Hours, who selects ten of her all-time favourite songs…

  • Monday Mixtape: Christian Donaghey (Autumns)

    May 18, 2015 - By 

    In the latest installment of Monday Mixtape, Derry musician Christian Donaghey – best known for his noise-pop project Autumns – selects and talks about some of his all-time favourite songs, featuring the likes of The Telescopes, Psychic Tv and Medicine. Autumns support Blue Whale at our BYOB, filmed show at Belfast’s The Loft this Saturday night (May 23). They will also support The KVB in Berlin on June 17. James Chance and The Blacks – Contort Yourself There’s two versions of this song, the other is by James Chance and The Contortions. I love this version a lot more because they made guitars…

  • Monday Mixtape: Ryan Vail

    May 11, 2015 - By 

    Having just released well-received mini album Sea Legs mini album with local alt-folk singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery, Derry electronic musician Ryan Vail is now moving on to writing a solo piano EP to be released on local label Quiet Arch in the Autumn. He took time out of the studio to pick his top ten tracks for us along with some thoughts on each. Peter Broderick – Colours of the Night Got to see Peter play this live at the CQAF. Always have been a fan of his work. This blew me away live.   Radiohead – Bloom Bit of a classic in our house. The King…