• Monday Mixtape: Slomatics

    Belfast’s primary exponents of titanically heavy sludge, Slomatics, give us a rundown of some of their all-time essential tracks, from krautrock through to horror OSTs. Hawkwind – The Watcher Live Hawkwind albums can be a real mixed bag, and even for fans with as low a quality threshold as me they can be fairly disappointing. I’d avoided The ‘99 Party Live for years as I assumed it was recorded in 1999, a bit of a low point for the band, but this was actually recorded during Lemmy’s last tour with the band in ‘74 when the concept of 1999 was still very futuristic, and…

  • Album Premiere: Wild Rocket – Dissociation Mechanics

    Following our stream of lead single ‘The Future Echoes‘, we’re delighted to exclusively premiere the fuzzed-out, low-end heft of Dublin quartet Wild Rocket‘s second LP, Dissociation Mechanics, released through the perennially reliable Irish independent Art for Blind on July 7. Already respected for their distinctive amalgam of groove-strewn heavy psych, sludge and space rock after debut studio album Geomagnetic Hallucinations, they’ve seemingly a complete grasp of the art of kosmische repetition. Disassociation Mechanics is an even more fully-realised and beautifully produced iteration of the band’s sound, with the album being recorded by Ireland’s Deaf Brothers – also known for their work with No Spill Blood, Alarmist and Meltybrains?. Unsurprisingly, given the monolithic sprawl of the…

  • Mons Olympus – Vampyroteuthis

    Northern Irish quartet Mons Olympus have announced details of their forthcoming debut album, Vampyroteuthis. Produced by the band’s guitarist Stephen O’Hagan, and Nathan Murray, (minus single ‘Critical Mass’, which was recorded by Michael Mormecha) the eight-track Vampyroteuthis will be launched and officially released at Belfast Empire Music Hall on May 4. Blending the Rory Dee-fronted foursome’s potent amalgam of space-rock and neo-prog, it’s sure to establish the band as one of the country’s leading exponents of cosmically-inclined, riff-fuelled alternative rock. Critical Mass by Mons Olympus With more shows to be announced, Mons Olympus will play the following dates off the back of the release:…

  • Wild Rocket – Dissociation Mechanics

    Eclectic Dublin psychedelic groove-laden space rock outfit Wild Rocket have announced their second album is called Dissociation Mechanics. The five-track album will be released through Irish DIY record label & distro Art For Blind. In the meantime, check out their 2014 debut album, Geomagnetic Hallucinations: Geomagnetic Hallucinations by WILD ROCKET

  • Stream: Documenta – Word Song (Yucatan Cover)

    Belfast drone pop outfit Documenta release a split CD through Tim Burgess’ OGenesis Recordings, tying in with a short Independent Venue Week tour alongside the collaborating bands. The EP consists of an original song by each of the three acts, as well as a cover of one of the other band’s songs. The cosmically-inclined trio of Documenta, Welsh dream-pop act Yucatan, and Manchester’s glistening, kaleidoscopic Horsebeach all met while playing Tim Peaks Diner in Manchester over the summer. They eventually decided to collaborate on this Independent Venue Week UK mini-tour, which kicks off at Belfast’s Voodoo tomorrow night – Friday, January 27 – with Documenta headlining, followed by Welsh &…

  • Watch: Documenta – Idle Hands

    The video for ‘Idle Hands’, the first track from the new record by space-oriented drone pop outfit Documenta is now online. The rarely seen ensemble, led by singer, guitarist and songwriter Joe Greene, has already announced that there will only ever be three Documenta LPs, with only Drone Pop #2 having been given a full vinyl release so far. Their next album is to be called Drone Pop #1, and features songs – some of which are re-recorded – from the first CD-R the band released. The record should be available in July through new label Touch Sensitive Records. Watch the video for ‘Idle Hands’ below.