Tag Archives: new Irish music

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Come On Live Longsoundscapes and breathy vox from Dublin

What you may need to know…

01. Last time we checked in on Dublin four-piece Come on Live Long, they’d just launched single For the Birds with a gig at the Unitarian Church in Dublin.

02. Since then, they’ve been busy preparing their follow-up album to 2013’s Everything Fall, while vocalist Louise Gaffney also contributed to the sublime Glow, on Wicklow math-rockers Enemies‘ final album Valuables.

03. Streaming above is the video for new single Sum of its Parts, with footage taken by the band from the recording process.

04. It’s taken from upcoming sophomore album In the Still, available for pre-order on vinyl and streaming from May 19th.

Thoughts: A glimpse of something that could be absolutely breathtaking, from the less-is-more school of composition.

Come On Live Long

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Crash Ensemblecontemporary Dublin ensemble

What you may need to know…

01. Crash Ensemble was formed in 1997 by composer Donnacha Dennehy, and are dedicated to bringing the contemporary to the classical sphere, in particular the commission and performance of work by new artists.

02. They’ve worked with a range of leading lights in new music, numbering among them: Steve Reich, Gavin Friday, Dawn Upshaw, Terry Riley, David Lang, Íarla Ó Lionáird, Julie Feeney, Gerald Barry, Gavin Bryars, Michael Gordon, David Lang and Louis Andriessen. They’ve also received 5-star reviews from the like of the Guardian.

03. Streaming above is their performance, led by Katie Kim, of Kim’s Wide Hand, as part of Salt Interventions, their collaborative live reinterpretation of Kim’s Choice-nominated album Salt.

04. You can witness this collaboration for yourself live on Saturday night, as Salt Interventions takes in a Dublin date at the Grand Social, as part of the MusicTown programme of events.

Thoughts: Approaching their twentieth anniversary, Crash Ensemble remain at the forefront of music in Ireland.

Crash Ensemble

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Toutspunk rock from Derry

What you may need to know…

01. What’s that, you say? Handsome boys in jumpers from Derry City playing enthusiastic rock ‘n’ roll? That’ll be Touts, then.

02. Riffing on the obvious NI punk comparisons, the lads take that energy and give it a modern, more aggro take on the classic power-chord sound.

03. Streaming above is Sold Out, the band’s new single. Shouted-out today on Nialler9, the lads are releasing an E.P. soon on Hometown, the label that’s currently giving us Rejjie Snow among others.

04. Belfast locals can catch the band while they can, this August on the 23rd, playing alongside Blossoms at Customs House Square. They’re supporting some UK pop band or other.

Thoughts: Is yer man Fergal Sharkey or Joe Strummer? He is neither, but these lads are great, making an earnest callback to grittier times without leaning too hard on its clichés.

Touts

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Saint CaoilianCork music superman polishes his halo

What you may need to know…

01. Since we last checked in with Shaker Hymn/Southern Hospitality Board/Quarter/regular disc-jockeying man Caoilian Sherlock, he’s met the minimum requirements to formally receive sainthood before embarking on his solo career in earnest.

02. Himself and Leeside music omnipresence Mr.K have been jamming under the Worm name and have started Small Town Disco, a wee label between them, as reported last week.

03. Streaming above is the video for single I’ll Be a Fool for You, premiered last week over at Nialler9. It’s the leadoff single for Faraway, available May 5th through Small Town Disco.

04. Catch him in Dubland on April 6th in Whelan’s, providing support for Marlene Enright on her tour for album Placemats and Second Cuts.

Thoughts: One of Irish music’s real renaissance men; an artist, curator and enthusiastic spectator in equal measure.

Saint Caoilian

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Outsider Y.P.The artist formerly known as Young Phantom

What you may need to know…

01. Cork-based rapper/beatmaker/freelancer Mark Mavambu has always been an ambitious sort, and the extent of what he has in mind is starting to make itself apparent.

02. Having both joined the ranks of the Word Up Collective (Dublin) and established Outsiders Entertainment as a catch-all banner for the exploits of himself and collaborators, the former Young Phantom has taken up the A$AP Mob naming convention to get the ball rolling on the latter, rebranding as Outsider Y.P.

03. Streaming above (in a Broadsheet premiere!) is the cinematic video for Saddest Day, the leadoff single for new album Alone.Insane.Alive, releasing on April 30th. On the video, he writes:

The music video is shot in the city of Hong Kong, starring fashion designer and model Sai Wing. The video is shot and edited by 3JBK, a team of videographers and video producers based in Hong Kong.

The collaborative effort was scripted and co-directed by Outsider YP and 3JBK’s Edward Chun. This is the first of a possible many other collaborations between Yp and Asian based creatives. His love of anime and Asian pop culture in general was one of the driving forces behind Yp deciding to attempt to shoot his first music video in Asia.

04. The album launches on April 29th with a special listening party at the Glucksman Museum in UCC, with what’s described as an “unorthodox” listening experience, performance and an ambient DJ set from veteran Leeside beatslinger Stevie G.

Thoughts: This column has sung his praises before, but it bears repeating – Young Phantom is one of the most exciting artists in Irish music of any genre today.

Outsider Y.P.

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Ghost RobotsWaterford five-piece

What you may need to know…

01. Alt-rock is the order of the day for Waterford five-piece Ghost Robots.

02. Formerly known as We, the People, the band rebranded in 2015 and releasing their Sell It to Me EP.

03. Streaming above is the lead-off single for same, Under Fire.

04. Catch ’em at home tomorrow night, playing creative space The Bearded Lady on Michael St. BYOB show, so no glass, no trackies, etc.

Thoughts: A lot here for fans of the broader church of alternative sounds and references.

Ghost Robots

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BODIESMope-core

What you may need to know…

01. The solo outlet of musician David Anthony McGeown, BODIES specialises in what he refers to as “mope-core”.

02. A new outfit, emerging first as McGeown’s recording pseudonym and subsequently as a live band, BODIES’ debut album Drench was completed last year and should be enroute later in 2017.

03. Streaming above is the project’s debut single Nightmoves, released in December of last year, accompanied by a remix from much-fancied producer Kobina.

04. Next live excursion is Friday night at the Mezz in Dublin, supporting Cork psych-rockers The Sunshine Factory. Also on the bill are Death in the Sickroom and The Thrash Blues.

THOUGHTS: A bleak take on the broad church of alternative sounds and reference points.

BODIES

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ShardborneLimerick prog/technical metal

What you may need to know…

01. At last, an excuse to talk about Limrock proggers Shardborne and their ridiculous array of riffs.

02. As well-known for tireless work in mucking in on metal events in Limerick as they are for their intricate, technical metal, the band emerged at the tail end of the last decade, releasing debut E.P. Aeonian Sequence in 2011.

03. Streaming above is the band’s debut album, Living Bridges, released in 2015 via Out on a Limb Records, and available for download on the band’s Bandcamp.

04. Catch them playing Fred Zeppelin’s in Cork in support of Guilty Optics‘ album launch this Thursday. €7 in the door, kickoff at 9.

Thoughts: One of the leading lights of Irish metal, a considered fusion of technical metal precision and prog-rock exploration.

Shardborne

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WORMCork ambient two-piece launch new label

What you may need to know…

01. Leeside stalwarts Caoilian Sherlock and Mr. K (he of Not Earth), by their powers combined, are ambient duo WORM.

02. Recorded during the winter of last year, debut album Stars Talking was given life in various locales around the city, including the dearly-departed Cork Community Print Shop.

03. Streaming above in the widget now, and also available for name-your-price download.

04. This release is also that of their new label, Small Town Disco, so named for Sherlock’s radio show on Dublin Digital Radio.

Thoughts: Thoughtful, in-the-moment jams from their own space and time. Wonderful.

WORM

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Shookrahneo-soul from Cork

What you may need to know…

01. Last time we’d checked in prog/neo-soul outfit Shookrah they were doing a few gigs ahead of getting ready to put down their new extended-player.

02. Second E.P. Clichés is complete, and due for release in the early part of this year.

03. Streaming above is the video for lead-off single Gerascophobia, directed and edited by the band’s own Emmet O’Riabhaigh. For the pedants among our commentariat:

Gerascophobia is an abnormal or persistence fear of growing old or ageing. Gerascophobia is a clinical phobia generally classified under specific phobias, fears of a single specific panic trigger. Gerascophobia may be based on anxieties of being left alone, without resources and incapable of caring for oneself. Sufferers may be young and healthy.

The term gerascophobia comes from the Greek γηράσκω, gerasko, “I grow old” and φόβος, phobos, “fear”. Some authors refer to it as gerontophobia, although this may also refer to the fear of the elderly.

04. Playing Connolly’s of Leap tonight, for those of you out Wesht, and tickets/bus available in the city. They’ll also be playing the Right Here, Right Now festival in the Cork Opera House on April 30th, tickets also on sale now.

Thoughts: Treading the lines between jazz, soul, R’n’B, pop and hip-hop, this new material sees the outfit grow ever more musically fearless.

Shookrah