• Stream: Badlands – Caramisou

    An artist who considers Ireland and Italy as two other home countries, Swedish producer Catharina Jaunviksna AKA Badlands‘ dusky and interstellar craft is very nicely pronounced on new single, ‘Caramisou’, the lead cut off her forthcoming debut album, which is set for release in Spring of 2016. Set to support Somadrone at his Oracle album launch gig at Dublin’s Unitarian Church on November 28 alongside Sorcha McGrath (Wounded Healer/Ships) and Danny Snow of Villagers, stream Jaunviksna’s latest effort below.

  • Stream: Alana Henderson – Museum of Thought

    Before globetrotting as a member of Hozier’s band, Dungannon cellist and singer Alana Henderson had established herself as one of the most promising Irish artists, masterfully meddling in the realm of alternative folk informed with a strong traditional presence. Almost three years on from her sublime Wax & Wane EP, Henderson has returned in her own right with ‘Museum of Thought’, a wonderfully stripped-back, lilting and lullaby-like track co-produced by Phil D’Alton of Master & Dog that positively confirms she has by no means abandoned her own craft and path. Watch the video for the track – featuring images courtesy of The British…

  • Stream: Saint Sister – Castles

    “My mother is lonely/My father speaks only to himself  My sister’s in danger/Her lover’s a stranger.” Undoubtedly the jewel in their lulling folk-pop crown, there’s a real immediacy poise to the lyrics of Irish Gemma Doherty and Morgan MacIntyre AKA Saint Sister. With their debut EP, Madrid, set for release via Trout Records on Friday, November 13, their latest single ‘Castles’ confines that intimate, instantly relatable savoir faire to four minutes of gossamer-like song, relaying succinct, unspoken truths of – perhaps unmistakably Irish – family life. Recorded in a short, purportedly “intense” session at Noise studio, Co. Kerry by Alex Ryan of Hozier, Madrid…

  • Stream: exmagician – Kiss That Wealth Goodbye

    Set to make their debut appearance at Lavery’s, Belfast on Friday, November 13, exmagician is Danny Todd and James Smith of Cashier No.9. Despite the name change, their brand new debut single, ‘Kiss The Wealth Goodbye’, is familiar yet suitably triumphant territory that retains their symphonic psych-pop spell of yore. Dig a little deeper and the burning urgency that drives the track (and their forthcoming self-titled EP) forth reveals an outfit in no mood to relive past glories. Go here for the Lavery’s show Facebook event page and stream ‘Kiss That Wealth Goodbye’ below.

  • Stream: Daithi – Mary Keanes Introduction

    For as long as we can recall, Galway’s Daithi has always operated on an inimitable sonic plain, forging electronica with classical in a squall of fearlessness and vision. The latest manifestation of that experimental quest, ‘Mary Keanes Introduction’ features his 90 year old grandmother reminiscing about romance in her youth in the West coast of Ireland. Primed as a perfectly-paced and framed introduction to his forthcoming Tribes EP, the track fuses two distinct worlds – that of the old and that of the new – to spawn something so innately joyous that you would struggle to find it anything but wonderfully accomplished. Speaking of the track, Daithi said, “A…

  • Stream: Paddy Hanna – Underprotected

    A prophetic tale-teller and uncannily perceptive pop talisman, Dublin’s Paddy Hanna is, for us, something of a sub-genre unto himself. A key exponent of Paddyhannaism, week by week, his talents become yet more apparent, not least during a string of dates across the country recently that have coalesced as some kind of Good Word of Irish music and testament to a burgeoning appreciation of an artist who emanates an air of resolution. Taken from the forthcoming two-track EP of the same name – set for release on December 4 – ‘Underprotected’ is another superb statement of intent, coursing and balanced with feverish fragility and…

  • Download: Paper Trail Records – Thanks For Listening

    Compiled and released by Paper Trail Records for World Mental Health Day 2015 on Friday, Thanks For Listening is already one of our favourite Irish compilations in… well, ever. Featuring everyone from Katie Kim, Paddy Hanna and Shrug Life to Eskimeaux, Cloud Castle Lake and Simon Bird, the sixteen-track release – featuring both Irish and international acts – was put together to help raise awareness for World Mental Health Day, founded in 1992. All proceeds from this compilation will go directly to Console, so please help by donating what you can. Artwork by Holly Tratnor and Brian FitzPatrick. Stream (and…

  • Stream: Saint Sister – Blood Moon

    Having made a big impression at Hard Working Class Heroes last weekend, Irish duo Gemma Doherty and Morgan MacIntyre AKA Saint Sister have hit the ground sprinting with their new single, ‘Blood Moon’. Taken from the band’s forthcoming Madrid EP – set for released via Trout Records on October 30 – the track is a brilliantly earworming three minutes of drifting and empyrean folk-pop. Madrid was recorded in a short, “intense” session at County Kerry’s Noise studio by Alex Ryan of Hozier. Stream ‘Blood Moon’ below. Photos by Deborah Sheedy.

  • Stream: Galants – Out of Sight

    It comes as no surprise that the five artists listed under the “influences” section of Dublin noise-pop band Galants‘ Facebook page read as a veritable “who’s who” of the genre’s exalted heyday. Evoking the varyingly shimmering, feedback-soaked lulls and barrages of the aforesaid imperial quintet – Dinosaur Jr., Teenage Fanclub, My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Swervedriver and Yo La Tengo – their new single ‘Out of Sight’ presents a fleecy levee of fuzz with perfectly languid vocals, throwing back and looking forward in wonderfully realised unison. Throw in Connor Walls’ guest guitar solo – knowingly reminiscent of Lord J Mascis’s more intent-drenched lead forays – and you are very…

  • 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.