Tag Archives: music

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Ghostking – ‘post-mortem’ from Cork

What you may need to know…

01. Last we saw of young Corkman Matt Corrigan’s solo ‘post-mortem’ project Ghostking, he’d just released his second E.P.

02. Latest extended-player Leaf sees Corrigan move away from guitars and reverb, and into more structured, keys-and-beats territory, for the main.

03. It’s streaming above, rolled out quietly over Spotify last weekend, and released last night on Bandcamp, etc on a free/donations.

04. No word yet on more live appearances – the lad is three extended-players into his body of work and hasn’t even done his Leaving Cert, in fairness.

Verdict: As technically accomplished as you’d expect from a musical prodigy, with a bone-dry sense of humour to boot. Grand.

Ghostking

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LE BOOM – Dub-American synth-pop

What you may need to know…

01. Chris and Aimie (no surnames) are the transatlantic synth-pop duo LE BOOM, based between Dublin and Brooklyn.

02. Hotly tipped by the Irish Times and State.ie for bigger things domestically, their work in the U.S. is paying off, with recent glowing reviews from Paste Magazine.

03. Streaming above is the video for single What We Do, a taster of their first formal release due next year. Filmed in Brooklyn, with featured dancer Breckyn Drescher.

04. Catch them next at Floating Joints XI at Connolly’s of Leap on the 17th, supporting Meltybrains?

Verdict: Super-tight synth-pop with indie touches, the duo easily has it in them to elude the big-name comparisons and put their own stamp on Irish electronica.

LE BOOM

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African Fiction – techno, techno, techno

What you may need to know…

01. African Fiction is the new nom-de-beats of former Agitate the Gravel/Elastic Sleep man Chris Somers, now holding it down as the events man at Cork’s PLUGD Records.

02. Trading shoegaze for techno, Somers utilises live synths, drum machines and guitar pedals, investing his new project with a similar density.

03. Streaming above is a sampler of what can be expected from African Fiction, in an as-yet untitled eight-minute piece.

04. Catch him this Saturday at the Triskel’s TDC space, with a live set. DJ support from OutOut, kickoff at 10.30. €4 in.

Verdict: A new chapter for one of Cork music’s hardest-working folk, with no-nonsense, ambient yet layered electronics that ought to translate well to the live stage.

African Fiction

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Scenes from the main stage of the Other Voices festival, held over the weekend in St James’s Church in An Daingean, Co Kerry.

(From top) Caoimhín O’Raghaillaigh and Cormac Begley, Kojey Radical, Lisa Hannigan, Girl Band, Rejjie Snow, Saint Sister, Rusangano Family.

Pics: Rich Gilligan

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The video for Dublin alt-songstress Naoise Roo‘s new single Whore premiered yesterday on Nialler9.

Directed by Girl Band visual collaborator Bob Gallagher, and starring actor Aron Hegarty, it accompanies a tune that provides a backing track for internal conflict and examination of roles/power structures.

Says Naoise:

“The song Whore was born out of a sense of longing and frustration. The idea of playing with power and submission. I think Bob’s video reflects those feelings, but takes a different slant. Religion and sexuality have had centuries of conflict and in Ireland we know this all too well. But at the root of it sexuality and sexual energy are the essence of being human. I’ve often wondered where that energy goes, what that inner conflict looks like”

Naoise Roo

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William Street – hip-hop from Cork

What you may need to know…

01. A relatively new name and face to Cork’s slowly renaissant hip-hop scene, is MC Shane Kavanagh, aka William Street.

02. Quietly getting around Cork with gigs, and garnering community radio play around the country, he’s picked his time well to horse into formally releasing music.

03. Streaming above is Move E.P.: Part One, available for download from his Bandcamp now. A pair of tracks featuring production from Irish beatmakers Gerryboy and G.I.

04. Part two of the extended-player is due in early 2017, according to the man himself.

Verdict: A Cork-accented voice, with a way for verbal broadsides that’s complemented by the accent itself.

William Street

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Crowhammer – sci-fi inflected heaviness from Dublin

What you may need to know…

01. Crowhammer. A power-trio from the capital. Self-described as “Dublin’s premier narrative driven sci-fi/fantasy stoner rock/krautrock music group”.

02. The band has gigged semi-regularly around the country since their foundation, most recently including Little Gem Records‘ pre-Halloween throwdown at the bandstand in Phoenix Park.

03. Streaming above: 2013 single Wizard & Flame, available for FREE download NOW.

04. Catch them next, playing the Retro Revival Indie Club at Dublin’s Grand Social on December 9th, supporting No Spill Blood.

Verdict: Atmospheric, sludgy heft from a galaxy, far, far away.

Crowhammer

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i am niamh – classical-influenced alternative

What you may need to know…

01. Classically-trained and informed by the avant-garde, Niamh Parkinson, aka i am niamh, specialises in noirish alternative pop.

02. Having finished debut LP Wonderland at the end of last year, she’s managed to get the attention of Nialler9, The Irish Times and The Thin Air.

03. Streaming above is new single Bellend, taken from the album and released today digitally.

04. Appearing on Friday December 9, at Bello Bar, in Dublin, to launch the single in her last headliner show for the year. A tenner online or €12 at the door. Support from Rosa Nutty and Mythill Grim.

Verdict: Wonderland was one of the most promising Irish debuts of 2015, and Bellend shows us an artist at play.

i am niamh

Photography: Isabel Thomas

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Terriers – post-hardcore from Cork

What you may need to know…

01. One year after playing their very last gig ever, Cork four-piece Terriers are all in the same country for a few days at Christmas, and are chancing their arms with a charity show.

02. Spinning off from Cork screamo band Slugbait, Terriers specialised in a slick, melodic post-hardcore, with streaks of classic rock riffage.

03. Streaming above is the band’s sole album, Let’s Hear It for the Boys, completed and released last year, shortly before their disbandment.

04. Catch ’em at Fred Zeppelin’s in Cork on the 23rd, with support from Sheffield math-rockers Ganglions and Cork alt-rockers Temperance Parade. A tenner in, all proceeds to Cork Simon.

Verdict: Much joy here for fans of alternative rock, post-hardcore, and the more QOTSA-end of stoner rock japes.

Terriers

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After last week’s kerfuffle on the still-potential outsourcing of young people’s programming, RTÉ have announced a further step into the Irish music scene, getting behind the annual Choice Music Prize.

RTÉ director-general Dee Forbes says:

Supporting Irish music and Irish musicians is a core part of what RTÉ does and this partnership will allow us to take our support one step further. Through RTÉ2 and RTÉ2FM, two established brands with a long and rich history in supporting Irish music, and through our popular online and mobile platforms, RTÉ will put the RTÉ Choice Music Prize at the centre of a campaign that will bring the best Irish artists and songs from the past year to a wider audience.

The shortlist for this year’s album prize will announced on Wednesday 11th January, 2017, with the winner announced on Thursday 9th March 2017. The awards will be broadcast live on 2FM and presented in extended-highlight form the following week on RTÉ2.

RTÉ Choice Music Prize

Previously: This Dustin