• Watch: A Plastic Rose – Move Islands

    September 29, 2014 - By 

    Nottingham-based Northern Irish alt-rock quartet A Plastic Rose have unveiled the brilliantly adventurous, short film-like video for their new single ‘Move Islands’. Shot in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, the video – directed by David Louis Lankester – features the Ian McHugh and Gerry Norman from the band going on a little journey in an attempt to make contact with something both unseen and unknown. Piqued your interest? Watch the video below. ‘Move Islands’ is the fourth single to be taken from the band’s forthcoming new album, Flickering Light of an Inner War, due out in February. The single itself is officially released…

  • Watch: The Wood Burning Savages – Boom

    September 29, 2014 - By 

    The follow-up to their breakthrough single, ‘America’, Derry quartet The Wood Burning Savages have only gone and released a video for ‘Boom’ – and what an skilfully urgent effort it is. Shot and edited by Fiachra O’Longain at Derry’s Playhouse, the video nicely mirrors the song’s lyrical content, not least via black-and-white archive footage of the Troubles. The song itself is a surging, Motorik-driven live favourite, and the title track of the band’s forthcoming EP, also released today. Stream Boom in full and watch the video for the single below. Boom EP by The Wood Burning Savages  

  • Album Stream: Sea Pinks – Dreaming Tracks

    September 29, 2014 - By 

    Nine months in, Neil Brogan’s Sea Pinks have unveiled what could well be contender for our favourite Irish album of 2014: Dreaming Tracks. Going one better than 2012’s superb Freak Waves – a feat in itself – the album conjures brooding, sun-split coastal trawl imminent Autumnal solipsism via ten tracks of cello-lined melancholia and masterfully blithe jangle-pop. According to the band, “This a record about disorientation, ambivalence, and the overlapping of past, present and future that can happen in dream states as well as in waking life.” Dreaming Tracks is available as a Limited Edition Shell Pink 180g 12″ vinyl LP, which can…

  • Premiere: BeeMickSee – We Took a Dive

    September 22, 2014 - By 

    Ahead of its official launch on September 27, we’re happy to present an exclusive first listen of ‘We Took a Dive’ by Belfast-based rapper Brendan Seamus AKA BeeMickSee. Featuring Seamus’ best friend and colloborator Paul Danver, the track – telling the “tale of my harrowing relocation to Belfast in the mid 90s” – will feature on the forthcoming BeeMickSee album, The Belfast Yank. Seamus will launch ‘We Took A Dive’ at Queen’s Student’s Union, Belfast, with a full band in tow, on Saturday, September 27. Support on the night comes from Aggressors BC, The Late Twos, Hot Cops and a Wonder…

  • Stream: Slow Skies – Bodies

    September 18, 2014 - By 

    The follow-up to the beguiling ‘Ice Field’ – released at the start of the month – Dublin dream pop duo Slow Skies have gone one better with ‘Bodies’, a wonderfully unravelling, reverb-soaked effort that lulls and summons in equal proportion. Delicate and funereal, the track – conjuring the likes of Hope Sandoval, Explosions In The Sky, Hanne Hukkelberg, Hope of the States and – teases with its perfectly plodding pace and Karen Sheridan’s increasingly beatific vocals. ‘Bodies’ will feature on Slow Skies’ forthcoming EP, Keepsake, set for release via faction on September 26. The duo play Donegal’s Balor Arts Centre on September 29, Dublin’s Sugar…

  • Watch: Groom – Colours

    September 10, 2014 - By 

    Dublin band Groom have long had an uncanny, seemingly effortless knack for no-shits-given guitar-pop. Their latest single, ‘Colours’, carries on the tradition in fine fashion, brilliantly barbed guitar lines entwined with subtle, Pulp-esque keyboard lines and chord progressions. The video for the track is a suitably simple and rather sweet affair, daughters of band-members kicking back with paints and crayons; not the slightest care in the world. The second song on Groom’s new album, Bread and Jam, ‘Colours’ is released via Popical Island at Sweeney’s, Dublin on Saturday night. Check out the artwork and video for the single below.  

  • Stream: Matua Trap – Meander Thralls

    September 10, 2014 - By 

    Having very recently released their debut track, ‘Cleave’, Belfast alt-prog trio Matua Trap have followed it up with the equally impressive ‘Meander Thralls’ (see what they did there?) As with the first track, the song is propelled with exquisite harmonies, shifting rhythms and exceptionally imaginative guitar work. Comprised of members of Kasper Rosa and Affleck, the band will play their debut show at Belfast’s Voodoo on Wednesday, September 17. Check out ‘Cleave’ here and stream ‘Meander Thralls’ below. Meander Thralls by Matua Trap

  • EP Stream: Haüer – Esperbyte

    September 9, 2014 - By 

    Dublin electro wizard Haüer immediately grabbed our attention last week with ‘Merc II’, the lead single from his second EP, Esperbyte. “Cursed with a weakness for nostalgic 80’s music production and synth-based cinematic film scores”, the producer has concocted real retrofuturistic, synth-governed magic on the aforementioned four-track release – evoking everyone and everything from Perturbator to Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury’s Drokk: Music inspired by Mega​-​City One – set for release on Friday. Ahead of our interview with producer – as well as our review of the EP – stream the Esperbyte via Soundcloud below. Photo by Loreana Rushe.

  • Stream: The Wood Burning Savages – Boom

    September 8, 2014 - By 

    Ahead of setting off on their first UK at the end of the week, Derry quartet The Wood Burning Savages are streaming their brilliantly urgent new single ‘Boom’. Something of a stand-out from their live shows, the Motorik-driven release is a heady three-minutes, evoking the likes of Patti Smith, Can and Mission of Burma, whilst retaining the band’s own increasingly-distinctive brand of alt-rock.  See below for the band’s forthcoming UK dates and a stream of ‘Boom’, officially released on September 29.

  • Watch: His New Atlas – Pillars

    September 7, 2014 - By 

    The follow-up to the recently-released ‘His Young’, Armagh singer-songwriter Eoghan O’Hagan AKA His New Atlas has released his sitting new single, ‘Pillars’. Fast becoming his custom, O’Hagan’s latest heart-rending tale is accompanied by simple but stunningly shot video, created by Belfast-based videographer and photographer Colm Laverty. Brooding and evocative, calling upon the depths of distant childhood and lost innocence, the video culminates in a particularly wistful tone. ‘Pillars’ is taken from O’Hagan’s debut full-length EP, Torn Out Lungs, which you can stream/purchase here. Watch the video below.