• Watch: Rusangano Family – Soul Food

    Having released their triumphant debut LP Let the Dead Bury the Dead in April and having taken festivals both at home and abroad by storm all Summer, Limerick’s Rusangano Family returned today with the aptly charismatic video for album track ‘Soul Food’ directed by Dave Tynan. The film depicts the trio and troupes of friends having more fun than you somewhere in The Burren, the vibrant colours they wear and the energised movements in contrast with the stark landscape symbolising this group’s endless capacity to bring soul and vigour to the most dramatic and grey situations and places. Oh, and there’s a “Make Ireland Grand…

  • Longitude 2016: Friday

    ‘None of you are Muslim, are ya?’ says the taxi driver coolly. It’s a remarkably, calmly delivered piece of xenophobia, proving that the sun even has a good effect on bigots. So though it may have made for a frosty entrance it provides a good talking point in the slow moving traffic as we make our way to the start of the flat-footed, full-blooded, bloated, banter-filled beginning of festival season proper. Because today is day one of Longitude 2016 a festival with a good reputation, an impressive line-up and the most important headliner of this year. So while sitting in…

  • Final Acts Added to Longitude 2016 Bill

    With just over one week to go, Rusangano Family (above), Wyvern Lingo and Daithí are amongst a string of homegrown acts making up the final line-up announcement for this year’s Longitude, which is set to take place at Dublin’s Marlay Park next weekend. Also set to join the likes of Run The Jewels, Father John Misty, Roisin Murphy, Jamie XX and headliners Kendrick Lamar, Major Lazer and The National are HamsandwicH, We Cut Corners, Cork singer-songwriter Brian Deady and District 8 DJs. A limited number of 2 day and 3 day weekend festival tickets are on sale now. Check out the…

  • Hyperbolex with Ray Wingnut: We Are The Migrants

    A few months back I had an idea for a radio piece. It was an odd one but I had ample inspiration to follow through on it. The subject was a little tricky to talk about and I didn’t take it on lightly. If anything I concerned myself with how to treat the subject. I knew that I needed to get the tone right and the discussion open-ended. The piece is about Irish music created by a generation of so-called ‘new migrants‘. I guess my personal inspiration was no mystery. I have been a huge admirer of groups like Bisect,…

  • Rusangano Family @ The Sugar Club, Dublin

    There’s been something special brewing in Ireland for the last year or so. If you’ve been lucky you’ve caught glimpses of it here and there, or heard the rumours; something big from the Mid-West. Something new. But after nearly a full year of hor d’ouvres in the shape of feverish shows and tantalising single track releases one of Ireland’s most exciting bands finally has a full album to offer. And while it’s justifiably whipping critics and fans into a frenzy, many know that for the full Rusangano Family hip hop experience you’ve got to see it live. So while the…

  • Album stream: Rusangano Family – Let The Dead Bury The Dead

    Very few Irish acts have so comprehensively demanded our attention over the last couple of years quite like Rusangano Family. Having featured them as one of our “ones to watch” acts in our 15 For 15 feature last year and fondly recalling their unforgettable appearance to close our second birthday party at Dublin’s Twisted Pepper last May, the Limerick trio of God Knows, MuRli and mynameisjOhn have burned with a certain indomitable zeal from the very moment they set out on what has become a journey very much worth following. Now, after after a string of increasingly tenacious standalone releases, the trio have unveiled their…

  • Watch: Rusangano Family – Lights On

    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…

  • Hard Working Class Heroes 2015 – Saturday

    ‘It’s better to burn out than to fade away,’ said the now sixty-nine year old Neil Young. So maybe it’s not such a bad thing that the HWCH schedule, on paper at least, looks like it wants to wind down rather than go out with a bang. But though it may not have the head whipping allure of the first two nights there’s still certainly enough to justify hitting those streets. Take Sinead White for example, surely a rising star, but even her to the point, uncluttered song writing cannot conjure a crowd out of thin air. It’s a problem…

  • Stream: Rusangano Radio Vol 1. feat. Windings

    Featuring everyone from Naive Ted and Isaac Hayes to Dungen and Build an Ark, Limerick electronic hip-hop trio Rusangano Family have well and truly sorted our evening’s listening with the very first, hour-long installment of their podcast, Rusangano Radio. Recorded in Clonakilty, this first volume – perfectly balanced between a whole heap of great tunes and the collective’s musings on evetything under the Irish sun – features none other than Pa and Steve from Windings. Check it out below and share the goodness.