• Sweden the Deal: An Interview with Olov Johansson of Väsen

    October 16, 2024 - By 

    This Sunday, 20th October, Swedish folk royalty, Olov Johansson and Mikael Marin, better known as Väsen, will make their much-anticipated return to Belfast as part of this year’s Belfast International Arts Festival. Revered for their captivating blend of new and traditional folk music, Väsen’s one-off show will feature a special suite by composer Chris Corrigan, crafted for nyckelharpa, electric viola and live electronics. It’s set to take place in the unique immersive sound environment of SARC’s Sonic Laboratory, offering a dynamic experience for both long-time fans and newcomers alike. Ahead of the performance, Brian Coney had the chance to speak…

  • Rhythm and Resistance: An Interview with Les Amazones d’Afrique

    October 18, 2024 - By 

    Les Amazones d’Afrique are no strangers to facing down convention. Fusing hypnotic West African rhythms with socially charged lyrics, the all-female collective has become a formidable force in the global music scene. Their blend of activism and artistry has always been inseparable, and with their third album, Musow Danse, they’ve created their most urgent statement yet. Set to take the stage at Mandela Hall on 28th October, their performance stands as one of the most anticipated events in this year’s Belfast International Arts Festival, promising a celebration of resilience, power and liberation. Ahead of the performance, Brian Coney chats with…

  • Singing And Dying Is What We Are Born For: An Interview With RÓIS

    October 10, 2024 - By 

    Song as a fundamental part of the human experience, a force both profoundly quotidian and supernatural, sits at the heart of RÓIS’ new release MO LÉAN. Its guiding theme is that of death and grief and their expression through music, inspired by forms that served an exalted purpose for generations and generations of Irish people. Caoineadh or keening is a form of vocal lament that existed in Gaelic society since antiquity and only ceased as a living rite at the turn of the 20th century. Sung at wakes near the body of the deceased, generally by a single or a…

  • Tight Unit, Closer Friends: An Interview With Search Results

    March 18, 2024 - By 

    Since featuring them as an Inbound artist late last year, Search Results have smitten many more listeners with their masterfully mercurial indie-rock craft Ahead of what’s set to be a packed few months, Danny Kilmartin chats to Dublin trio – guitarist Fionn Brennan, drummer Jack Condon and bassist Adam Hoban – about the road less travelled they have taken to their upcoming second LP Photos by Monika Ruman What’s in a name – why Search Results? Jack: We lost a bet with Shane Clifford. You started writing together very quickly after first meeting. What was it that brought you together…

  • Whaling On: An Interview With Blue Whale

    March 6, 2024 - By 

    Next Friday, March 15, Belfast jazz-punk band Blue Whale return with their highly-anticipated second LP, Last Immediate Images. The follow-up to 2018’s Process, it’s another masterfully shapeshifting leap forward from one of the island’s most fiercely unpigeonholeable bands. Recorded and produced by Gilla Band’s Dan Fox, the album is a remarkable expansion, and deft deconstruction, of what the Quietus once hailed as their “chaotic, yet controlled experimental rock.” Ahead of its release, Cathal McBride spoke with guitarist Ben Behzadafshar about prolonged experimentation, the magic of biding one’s timing, being ‘sound carriers’ for Damo Suzuki and more. Blue Whale launch Last…

  • L’esprit de l’escalier: An interview with Perlee

    December 12, 2023 - By 

    Ahead of playing Dublin and Belfast this weekend, Berlin-via-Navan duo Perlee discuss the magic of taking chances, putting their stamp on dream-pop and releasing one of the Irish LPs of the year, Speaking From Other Rooms Speaking From Other Rooms is one of the most accomplished Irish albums of the year. It spans soundworlds and explores some really strong themes like self-actualisation, destiny and long-distance love. It feels like you invested a lot of your soul into the release. Looking back, does it feel that way to you? Thanks for saying so. There were so many beautiful Irish releases this…

  • Q+A: Swimmers Jackson

    August 24, 2023 - By 

    Off the back of his stellar new LP Now Is All, we chat to Dublin singer-songwriter Niall Jackson aka Swimmers Jackson about the health of the scene, breaking new ground and being 100% DIY Swimmers Jackson plays Belfast’s Sunflower on 8th September, the Kicking Donkey in Bundoran on 9th September and Sandino’s in Derry on 10th Sunday. Go here for tickets Your new album, Now Is All, is full of highlights and features some of your finest songs to date. Taking a step outside of it, how do you feel it stands apart from what you’ve done before? It’s been…

  • Heavenly Pop Hits: Q&A with Martin Phillipps from The Chills

    June 21, 2023 - By 

    The Chills haven’t been here for a bit, their last show being at The Button Factory in 2014. That was the year before Silver Bullets, their first album in nearly 20 years, came out and served as a perfect reminder, or introduction, to Martin Phillipps’ perfectly executed pop writing. That such an album would come out after years of quiet and be great isn’t common. That such an album would only be the start of a string of excellent albums, all in the 4th decade of The Chills’ existence, is cause to marvel. And so you can marvel to your…

  • The Lay of the Land: A Catch-Up With Landless

    January 24, 2023 - By 

    Ahead of their highly-anticipated headline slot at Letterkenny Trad Week this Friday (27th January) we chat to Landless about their upcoming second album, ten years of their world-beating unaccompanied traditional folk and the contemporary trad folk landscape of Ireland. Hi Landless. We last talked back in 2018, off the back of featuring you as our 18 for ’18 artists. Lockdown notwithstanding, you’ve covered some sizable ground in the in-between. Can you sum up how the last five years have been for you, collectively? Ruth Clinton: The last five years have been a blur of house moves, babies, study, work, and then of…

  • The Art of Slowing Down: An Interview with FRMR

    November 16, 2021 - By 

    Last month, Northern Irish folk songwriter and poet Andrew Farmer aka FRMR unveiled one of the year’s finest LPs from these shores, Amelanchier. As well as offering a short piece on the making of the album, Farmer talks to us about songwriting, self-belief and the art of slowing down. Making The Record ‘Amelanchier’ by FRMR Amelanchier was recently launched into the world. But before we touch on the album, can you tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are as a songwriter today? In 2009 I took a year out to take part in a creative programme based…