• Overhead, The Albatross – Learning to Growl

    June 1, 2016 - By 

    A lot of people will tell you that Post-Rock had its day about five years ago, that those who have kept the torch burning the brightest are the just the ones who held it aloft in the first place, and that all the rest have merely fallen by the wayside or been left dragging their heels through the faux-sentimental, desperately “cinematic” mud. In a lot of ways they would be right I suppose. More bands than you can count dabbled in that realm of tremolo picked, delayed guitars and the“quiet bit/heavy bit” structure, to the point where a listener could…

  • I Have a Tribe – Beneath a Yellow Moon

    May 31, 2016 - By 

    Dubliner Patrick O’Laoghaire, better known as I Have A Tribe, last week released his long awaited debut album, Beneath A Yellow Moon, a stunningly imperfect indie-folk record, brimming with eleven brilliantly honest tracks. This intimate album comes as a follow up to 2015’s No Countries EP and upon a single listen it becomes clear that, even within such a brief timespan, O’Laoghaire’s songwriting has undoubtedly become so much more complex. The range of emotion he is now capable of evoking has grown extensively, now fully projecting the vibrant colours in his mind into the outside world, overshadowing his past two EPs and demonstrating his growth and brilliance as…

  • Stream: R.S.A.G. – Leave A Light On

    May 11, 2016 - By 

    Jeremy Hickey aka Rarely Seen Above Ground aka R.S.A.G. is a musician native to Kilkenny whose music and live performances have for the past number of years, funnily enough, been mythologised as legendary in a very “underground” way. Since beginning to operate under the R.S.A.G. banner in 2008, Hickey has been nothing if not a elusive, from quietly releasing albums like his debut Organic Sampler and 2010’s Be it Right or Wrong to randomly unleashing tracks such as 2014’s infectiously driving ‘I’ll Be There‘. To catch him playing live is a spectacle to behold, watching him relentlessly attack his drum kit, never for a second…

  • Frankenstein Bolts – Cinematic Views

    May 10, 2016 - By 

    In the most sincere kind way, Cinematic Views by Wexford’s Frankenstein Bolts is just a nice record. It’s not a spectacular exploration of the human condition or a technical behemoth that levels the playing field with its symphonic intricacies. No, Cinematic Views is simply a delightful serving of dreamy folk with electronic overtones, almost like a stripped back Oppenheimer or if Belle and Sebastian covered Zero 7. This, the duo’s debut EP, is comprised of four neatly formed pieces of gentle, soothing musical warmth. The opener, “Station Street” is mellowed slice of sweet, carefree pop; the kind of music that’s…

  • EP Stream: Thran – At a Loss

    May 11, 2016 - By 

    Thran is the monicker of Belfast based electronic musician Ronan Scullion. Releasing his debut EP At A Loss on his own label imprint Nonchalant Recordings, Thran’s music has been a patient labour of love over the past couple of years, taking plenty of time before releasing his melodious, frosty electronica into the world. Blending elements of Trip-Hop, post-dubstep and hints of garage, the music could best be compared to the likes of Mount Kimbie, James Holden and Burial. There is an ambient, spacey quality to tracks such as ‘Retreat’ and the EP’s title track that could lead to comparisons being drawn with acts such as MMOTHS and God is an Astronaut.  With a…

  • Video Premiere: Carried By Waves – Resonation Day

    April 21, 2016 - By 

    Cork based producer Ronan McCann AKA Carried By Waves releases his second LP Resolute this Friday 22nd of April.  Following on from his 2012 debut full length Softly Held Together the producer and multi-instrumentalist take spacious, colourful electronics and post-rock elements aplenty and continues to create a sound that could be best compared to the likes of Aereogramme and God Is An Astronaut but which holds enough individually and heart to stand steadfast and confident. To coincide with the album’s release, the producer has debuted the video for leading track Resonation Day. With its orbiting guitars and cinematic pianos and keys the track’s instrumentation is very reminiscent of…

  • Watch: Zaska- Got To Go

    April 19, 2016 - By 

    Fancy a game of Countdown? Of course you do. Dublin composer and bandleader Max Zaska yesterday debuted the brand new video for his most recent release ‘Got to Go’. It’s a soulful number that shows Zaska and his troupe of supremely talented musicians continuing on the same trajectory as previous releases In Your Own Sweet Time and Different Light, crafting songs that are effortlessly accessible while still maintaining satisfying and adept jazz technicality. ‘Got To Go’ is another fine example of the joyous work of the bandleader and guitarist as he puppeteers the band in a smooth, charming dance of soul, funk, blues and…

  • Stream: Feather – Like No Other

    April 14, 2016 - By 

    The varying incarnations of Emma Garnett’s Feather project have featured casts of collaborations from multi-instrumentalist Ben ‘Bix’ McKenna (of Meltybrains?), afro-inflected musciains RiZa, iZem and Manden Express, to Come on Live Long‘s Louise Gaffney. In a similar way to her sister Loah, Garnett has been patient in her unveiling of music to the world, preferring to wait until something is as perfect and as ready as it can be before allowing it to be heard. Her latest offering, in collaboration with an eight-piece band, is the brand new single ‘Like No Other which is expected to be on an EP released…

  • September Girls – Age of Indignation

    April 8, 2016 - By 

    “I am reborn”, sing September Girls in the opening track of their second album Age Of Indignation. While this album doesn’t represent a musical rebirth – the band still operate at the intersection between fuzzy noise pop and post-punk – it does represent a band growing in ambition, both musically and lyrically, continuing a trend that’s been happening gradually over the course of their career to date. The musical ambition is evident straight away, opening with the 6 and a half minute ‘Ghost’, a track that builds in intensity from a slow burning intro to a lengthy pummelling conclusion that sounds like an even more ferocious…

  • Watch: Rusangano Family – Lights On

    April 6, 2016 - By 

    Following on from their hugely successful venture to SXSW in Austin, Texas in March, Limerick Hip-Hop trio Rusangano Family are set to drop their debut LP Let the Dead Bury the Dead this Friday April 8th. To whet our appetites ahead of what is set to be one of the most exciting Irish releases of the year so far from an act whose live performances have been lauded for their energy and abandon the group have gifted us with a video for new track ‘Lights On’. Lyrically, the verses by God Knows and  MuRli deal with themes of ambition, influence and the…