Tag Archives: new Irish music

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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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Agro Phobia – DIY Limerick noise

What you may need to know…

01. In 1981/1982, teenagers Brian Hartnett and Barry Warner didn’t have much in the way of musical equipment with which to take out their frustrations. So they improvised.

02. AGRO PHOBIA was the result of the two lads bashing out noises on piano, Stylophone, and whatever household implements were handy at that moment. Rhythm tracks were recorded into one tape recorder, which was then played back as ambient backing audio for the duo’s improvisations.

03. Streaming above is Waiting Room, the first song to be publicly released from the duo’s FIRST CASSETTE, a compilation of the duo’s hitherto unreleased body of work.

04. FIRST CASSETTE releases digitally this week through The Unscene, a marked shift into noisier climes for the doggedly DIY hip-hop label.

Verdict: A time capsule, alternately harsh in its sparse, detached nature and poignant in the toll time has taken on the recordings, comforting in its layers of tape distortion.

The Unscene

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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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No Spill Blood – hefty Dublin/Cork space-noises

What you may need to know…

01. At last, an excuse to talk about Dublin synth-heft power-trio No Spill Blood.

02. Coming together initially as a side-project to Adebisi Shank, and featuring members of Elk and Magic Pockets, they’ve become more than a going concern in their own right, with second album Heavy Electricity releasing in March of last year, via US label Sargent House.

03. Streaming above is the aforementioned long-player, available to stream, download and purchase on CD and vinyl.

04. Playing Dublin next on December 9th at the Retro Revival Indie Club at the Grand Social. Support from Crowhammer. Tickets €8, more info available here.

Verdict: Equally heavy and spacey, the band have lurched into the forefront of Irish independent music.

No Spill Blood

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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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TUSKS – Doom-metal from Belfast

What you may need to know…

01. Emerging from a rich scene for various amounts of musical heft, TUSKS fall somewhere between Sabbathesque riff worship and spiky punk noisemaking.

02. The band’s debut album Embers, released in August of last year, on Larne-based metal label Freak Flag Recordings.

03. Streaming above in its entirety, it’s available for download, and on limited 12″ green/”beer” vinyl.

04. Next seen live at the Eglantine in Belfast next Thursday, with support from Elder Druid and Black Market Thieves.

VERDICT: TUSKS have a lash off doom-metal’s tropes and rituals without directly aping same, adding a bit of piss and vinegar to proceedings.

TUSKS

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We Come in Pieces – Limrock math trio in final gig of the year tonight

What you may need to know…

01. Math-punk three-piece We Come in Pieces have traipsed around the continent a few times over the course of their six years of existence.

02. Garnering attention for 2010’s full length Before the Chains and steadily touring for 2012’s Land of the Living, the band has been back in studio, finishing their third full-length.

03. Streaming above is the video for 2012’s single release, Sexy Rouge.

04. Catch them tonight in Limerick, in their last gig of the year, with local lads Cruiser and Cassavetes in support. Dolan’s, 9pm.

Verdict: A staple component of Limerick music at this point, this upcoming record of theirs ought to be a treat.

We Come in Pieces

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Mares of Diomedes – Belfast sludge/doom metal

What you may need to know…

01. Brothers Shea and Jordan make up both halves of Belfast sludge/doom-metal duo Mares of Diomedes.

02. Fuzzed-out, apocalyptic doom is the order of the day, with the band’s debut extended-player emerging midsummer of last year.

03. Streaming above is the band’s new split 12″ release alongside Danish doomlords Dreich. Available for streaming, download and physical purchase from the band’s Bandcamp.

04. On the road next weekend: Thursday December 1st in Belfast’s Voodoo, Friday December 2nd as part of promoters Burning Metal’s launch at Fredz in Cork, and on Saturday 3rd at the Roisín Dubh in Galway.

Verdict: Good, thick guitar tones and suitably substantial riffs. That’s the one.

Mares of Diomedes