• Do The Strand: A Catch-Up With Phil Kieran

    April 16, 2024 - By 

    Ahead of its final live performance of The Strand Live this Saturday, 20th April, Belfast producer and techno legend Phil Kieran talks to Andrew Moore about constant evolution, AI’s impact on music and his masterfully ambitious new studio album Photo by Sean McMahon Originally published in the Spring 2023 issue of The Thin Air Buy tickets to The Strand Live, featuring Phil Kieran and the Ulster Orchestra, here It’s 5:32pm on a grey Monday afternoon in Belfast and electronic composer Phil Kieran is quietly working away in his studio. Located in the old Strand Cinema – and the new Strand…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 5th April

    April 5, 2024 - By 

    Another week, another plethora of wonderful new Irish sounds, from the likes of Oh Boland, Bricknasty, Cardinals, Pastiche, Scattered Ashes, Phil Kieran, Rory Nellis and more. Oh Boland – Here Comes The Order Of Malta Western Leisure by Oh Boland So Cow – Jesus Meets The Women EP Jesus Meets The Women EP by So Cow Bricknasty – Boyfriend ​​Search Results vs. The Daisy Chain Search Results vs. The Daisy Chain (Live in Dublin, 17th September 2023) by Search Results, The Daisy Chain Phil Kieran feat. Cynthia Sley – Out Of My Mind PKR 038 ‘Out Of My Mind’ Feat…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 10th November

    November 10, 2023 - By 

    Delve into the very best new singles and albums of the week from Pillow Queens, David Holmes, John Francis Flynn, Phil Kieran, Alpha Chrome Yayo and more Pillow Queens – Suffer David Holmes – Blind on a Galloping Horse David Holmes ft. Raven Violet – ‘Blind On A Galloping Horse’ by David Holmes Rachael Lavelle – Big Dreams Big Dreams by Rachael Lavelle Phil Kieran – The Strand Cinema Live Nealo, Morgana, Uly, Rach – Cereal Alpha Chrome Yayo – Heart Engine Heart Engine by Alpha Chrome Yayo Two Nice Catholic Boys – Never Wonder John Francis Flynn – Kitty…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 24th March

    March 24, 2023 - By 

    Taking in every corner of the island, here’s the very best tracks of the week from Lankum, Chalk, Niall McDowell, The Fae, Krea, The Wood Burning Savages and many more Lankum – False Lankum False Lankum by Lankum Phil Kieran – The Strand Cinema The Strand Cinema by Phil Kieran Chalk – Asking Niall McDowell – I Have Given Up The Wood Burning Savages – Climb The Ladder The Fae – Chloe Gnarkats – Homesick Krea – Don’t Tell Me Seba Safe – On My Way Drew Makes Noise – Lemonade Derek Ellard & The Future Business Model – Electricity…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 24th February

    February 24, 2023 - By 

    It’s been another excellent week for Irish music. Here’s the best singles and albums released over the last seven days, featuring Elaine Malone, David Kitt, Arborist, Mob Wife, The Plastic Ensemble, Pat Lagoon and more. Elaine Malone – Nothing Is Real Arborist – Matisse Mob Wife – The Oil In It The Plastic Ensemble – Light The Spark The Plastic Ensemble · Light The Spark Pat Lagoon – Jungle Cascando – Canyon Music David Kitt – Till The End/Balances Feather Beds – Really Disney Really Disney by Feather Beds Zeropunkt – Bitch Nails Phil Kieran – Atlantic PKR 037 'Atlantic' by…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – May 6th

    May 6, 2022 - By 

    On this, the fifth Bandcamp no-fee Friday of the year, here are the very best Irish tracks and releases of the week, featuring Katie Kim, Aoife Wolf, The Department of Energy, J Cowhie & Bonnie Prince Billy, Arvo Party and more Katie Kim – Mona   Hour Of The Ox by Katie Kim J Cowhie & Bonnie Prince Billy – New Life New Life by Goodtime John & Bonnie Prince Billy Aoife Wolf – The Woman Who Shot Andy Warhol Screaming Waltz (Instrumental) by Aoife Wolf The Department of Energy – May Day (Landscape Mixtape) May Day (Landscape Mixtape) by…

  • One of These Albums Will Win The NI Music Prize Tonight

    November 12, 2020 - By 

    Much like the RTÉ Choice Music Prize every year, the annual Northern Ireland Music Prize is almost always too close to call. This year is no different. Going online for the first time due to social distancing restrictions, this year’s shortlist is a luminous, no-filler reflection of the state of independent music in the North right now. From the Americana-tinged alt-folk of Mark McCambridge aka Arborist to the considered electronica of Phil Kieran; the shapeshifting indie rock of Belfast threesome Careerist, to the ruminative pop of Kitt Philippa, it’s a list that also features stellar albums from Our Krypton Son, Herb…

  • And So I Watch You From Afar Announce OK? Festival

    March 2, 2020 - By 

    North Coast instrumental rock trailblazers And So I Watch You From Afar have announced details of a new music and arts festival in support of mental awareness and suicide prevention. Created to “celebrate community and to encourage asking the question… are you ok?” OK? will unite some of the country’s best acts at Belfast’s Telegraph Building on Saturday, March 28th. Raising money for Aware NI, PIPS and Help Musicians, the show will feature sets from ASIWYFA, SOAK, General Fiasco, David Holmes, Phil Kieran, Joshua Burnside, New Pagans, Catalan!, Pillow Queens, Junk Drawer, Jordan Adetunji, Careerist, Cherym, Problem Patterns and Gnarkats.…

  • Phil Kieran on Soundtracking EdgeFest: East Belfast Boy

    March 1, 2018 - By 

    We grab a few words with Belfast DJ, producer and jack of all trades Phil Kieran about his experience soundtracking East Belfast Boy – an EdgeFest production currently on at Belfast’s the MAC – his forthcoming EP, Polyrhythmic, and more. Hi Phil. You’ve written the music for East Belfast Boy as part of this year’s EdgeFest. How did the collaboration come about and what attracted you to the project? I was approached by Emma Jordan who is the director of the play, we have been friends for years. I mentioned to her last year I would love to have a go at…

  • Anon #002

    July 16, 2015 - By 

    Happening as part of the Open House festival in association with PLACE NI, the second installment of Phil Kieran’s Anon series will take place at an undisclosed location in Belfast on Saturday, July 18. According to the poster (above), the ethos behind the electronic events are to “shift the excitement back to the location and music, rather than hype.” Whilst we’re certainly sensing a profound sense of hype around the occasion, we highly approve of the sentiment. Given some nice leverage and interest from the public at large (which most increasingly seems to be the case so far) this could very easily turn into one…