• Watch: Morrissey & Marshall – Stand Down

    Set for release on August 26, ‘Stand Down’ by Dublin rock n’ roll duo Morrissey and Marshall is a track inspired “by those poor unfortunates (politicians) who tend to stop at nothing when striving for success… They will lie, mislead, instil fear and do whatever it takes to get the people on side, without any true regard for the people. This song sparks the idea that there will eventually come a time when we’ll come together, rise above the fear and use truth, honesty and love to start fixing all of the things that need to be fixed.” An admirable,…

  • Premiere: Guilty Optics – The Kayapo Ghosts

    Since featuring as an Inbound act in the sixth issue of our magazine last year, Dublin’s Guilty Optics have been a little on the quiet side. That said, with their Ben Moore-produced debut album set to drop at the end of the year, the punk trio of Al Finnerty, Lewis Hedigan and Richie O’Reilly are back with an emphatic teaser of what lies in store in the form of ‘The Kayapo Ghosts’, a virulent post-punk throwdown that lyrically tackles the destruction of Amazonian rainforests and the forced removal of indigenous Kayapo tribes. Have an exclusive first listen below.

  • Premiere: DIVAN – Sale of Lakes

    Formed out of the need to explore new territory away from their other projects, Dublin imports DIVAN, made up of members of Ambience Affair and Tomorrows have found a new lease of life on their forthcoming album Modern Knowledge. Produced by Ramona Falls, Menomena and EL VY man Brent Knopf, expect the album to be one rich with depth and melody. Brian Coney chatted to the band about their formation and their ethos. Listen to ‘Sale of Lakes’ below. Hi guys. First up, for those completely new to you, can you give us a bit of background to the formation of the…

  • Premiere: Hiva Oa – A Great Height

    Not merely the second largest island in the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, Hiva Oa are a Belfast duo set to release their long-awaited new EP mk2 (part 1) on August 5. Having returned to their native Ireland after residing in Edinburgh, Stephen Houlihan and Christine Tubridy turn their attention to the laws and imprint of fear, loneliness, abandonment and awakening on the new release, something that’s impressively manifest on its lead single ‘A Great Height’. Evoking the likes of PVT, The Twilight Sad and a more inward-looking Not Squares, the track’s swirling flurry of contorting electronica, weaving bass patterns and braying guitar swells meld…

  • Premiere: The Hipshakes – Attention Spans

    Set to headline the last ever (and downright unmissable) Retro Revival Club at Dublin’s soon-to-be-departed Sweeney’s, Manchester garage punk quartet The Hipshakes recently released their blistering, new album, Snake, via Sligo independent label par excellence, Art For Blind records (The Number Ones, September Girls, The Altered Hours, Perfect Pussy, No Ditching, etc.) An outright highlight from said release, we’re pleased to premiere the video for ‘Attention Spans’ – a breathless, Harmacy-era Sebadohesque throwdown – below.

  • Premiere: Warriors of the Dystotheque – Just Breathe

    The follow-up to their March EP Return To Coney, ‘Just Breathe’ is the new single from multi-national outfit Warriors of the Dystotheque, founded by Derry’s Jonny Mac. Featuring vocals from Coventry singer Bella Deanie, it’s a slick, impressively produced soundscape relaying “the state of not giving up when everyone else has let you down.” Accompanying the release are remixes from the likes of Ubblahkan, Ken Fab Re and Brothers Nylon, each further revealing the track’s textural, cinematic prowess. According to Jonny Mac, the track – which we premiere in full below – came about “in a tiring drive home to Derry from a festival…

  • Premiere: SlowPlaceLikeHome – Tiger Lilly

    Written, recorded, and produced in the forests of South Donegal, where all his previous releases have originated from, the new Double A-side single by Keith Mannion AKA SlowPlaceLikeHome reveals the workings of an artist constantly evolving his craft. Set for 10″ release on May 23, ‘Tiger Lilly/Friday’ sees Mannion move more toward the live setting with production. Where 8 minute B-side ‘Friday’ tells the tale of a self-styled magician and Coulrophobic called Friday, the former – which we premiere here – is a burrowing electro-pop gem that tells the story of reflective delinquency from the eyes of a night owl. Nice. SlowPlaceLikeHome play…

  • Video Premiere: Tuath – Existence is Futile

    A self-described multilingual experimental, progressive psych rock/shoegaze band”, Donegal’s Tuath (or tribe in Gaelic) have quickly established themselves as one of the country’s most singular propositions. With a heavy-metal influenced rhythm section and hints of jazz fusion woven throughout their sound, they are far from in the business of seeking slick categorisation – a fact impressively confirmed on their forthcoming second EP. Set for digital release on June 15, the lead/title from Existence is Futile is a downtempo gem that sits somewhere between a lamenting Madlib instrumental and a trip-hop inspired Praxis jam. Directed by Raymond McBride, the track’s accompanying video proves a suitable hallucinatory backdrop here. Check out our…

  • Video Premiere: BAD BONES – LANG

    In a short amount of time BAD BONES (Dublin-based producer Sal Stapelton) has carved out both a unique and mysterious sound and image. Her eerie, infectious beats and experimental-pop composition style have earned her comparisons to FKA Twigs, Arca, Maya Jane Coles and Robyn. At the same time her video work has cultivated a minimalist, yet enigmatic image. Her new single ‘LANG’ gives us a new glimpse into the dark and beautiful netherworld that Bad Bones seems to inhabit. The track takes its title and integral samples from David Lang’s piece ‘I Lie’ (written for the unforgettable opening Paolo Sorrentino’s…

  • Premiere: Oh Joy – Habits & Recreations

    Recorded with Liam Mulvaney at Bow Lane Studio, the forthcoming self-titled EP by Dublin alt-rock band Oh Joy faithfully throws back whilst keeping a fixed eye on the present-day, fuzzed-out ruminations. Counting the likes of Pixies, Elliott Smith and DIIV amongst their main influences, there’s an authenticity to the trio’s intent-drenched throwdowns, not least on the EP’s lead single ‘Habits & Recreations’, which we’re pleased to premiere here. Oh Joy will be released at the end of the month.