Tag Archives: new music

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White Boys – Stylin’

Here’s what you may need to know.

01. Cork-based lads Gary Keane and Eoin Walsh comprise the synth/funk/R&B duo White Boys, who are getting ready to release their Stylin’ single on April 15th, ahead of an EP release later this year. You can stream it in the widget above.

02. You may remember these boys from the height of the marriage equality referendum: their fantastic arrangement of Michael O’Leary’s derailed attempt at a homophobic rant was one of the campaign’s highlights.

03. They followed this up with a synth-funk version of Hozier‘s Take Me to Church that got them noticed by the wider Irish musical sphere, including headlining the after-party for disco legends Chic alongside Cork hip-hop veteran Stevie G.

04. Formed after meeting on the set of the Late Late Show, the duo aren’t just blogosphere darlings, having shared recording sessions with Earth, Wind, and Fire, as well as having worked with producer G1 and Death Row Records engineer Tommy D. Daugherty. Bootsy Collins, The Rubberbandits and Panti Bliss are also fans.

Verdict: The boys clearly love what they do, which is half the joy of seeing them in action. They can back the antics up with some serious skills, though, both live and as producers. Get adding ’em to your party playlists.

White Boys

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Megacone – Absolute Magnitude

Here’s what you may need to know…

01. Megacone are a Dublin-based five-piece trading in a math-inflected strain of post-rock. Equally atmospheric and technically intricate, their output so far has been very impressive.

02. Absolute magnitude is “the measure of the intrinsic brightness of a celestial object”. It’s also Megacone’s new song, recorded by Rian Trench (of Solar Bears) and Robert Scanlon.

03. This seven-minute opus is Megacone’s step into a much bigger, spacier sound, and the video, directed by Bailey & Blake Productions, plays off this with an elaborate video that contrasts cinematography and production values with drone-shot performance footage.

04. They’re playing the Venture Takeover stage of the BD Festival on Good Friday in the Wicklow Mountains, amid a quality helping of Irish math-rock, post-rock and other awkward/technically-accomplished shenanigans.

Verdict: Accomplished stuff from lads as young as this five-piece. Keep a close eye on them: it’s not for no reason they’re this ambitious this early in the game.

Megacone

Photo credit: AK Photography.

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God Creative & Crimes Against – Godzillah

A YMLT premiere. Here’s what you may need to know…

01. God Creative is Darren Dwyer, a rapper, lyricist and artist from Darndale in Dubland. He met his creative partner after landing on the couch of his studio while out on on a ‘session’.

02. Crimes Against is electronic producer Dan Doherty, formerly of bands Ghost Estates and Sickboy. He also currently runs said studio, Darklands Audio, where the duo’s upcoming release was written and recorded.

03. This is the lead-off to their upcoming album ‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost’, released on the duo’s own imprint, Slap in the Face. It releases March 4.

04. As part of the single’s launch, the lads are playing Dublin’s Chocolate Factory on March 26th

Verdict: God’s Dublin-accented holler and Crimes’ skittish noise are good bedfellows, with the lads taking their cues from noise-hop staples like Death Grips and Run the Jewels. It sets a good tone for their upcoming album.

Extra Fox

Extra Fox – Lunar Float

Here’s what you may need to know…

01. Extra Fox is the nom-de-plume of Dubliner Neil Adams, formerly of many outfits, most notably the at-one-time much-fancied The Cast of Cheers.

02. Last week saw the release via Soundcloud of new single Lunar Float (streaming above), a beatsy track that plays with acoustic strings, handclaps, and an array of synths in looping, building fashion.

03. The project had its live debut last year, with support slots for fellow Cast of Cheers spinoff All Tvvins and Dublin outfit Sleep Thieves occurring after a string of singles going up on his Soundcloud.

04. It’s a tad more restrained than previous single Palm of Gold, mastered by Mati Schwarz (All Tvvins among others), an upbeat piece that marries a definite pop sensibility with biting vintage synth sounds.

Verdict: There’s much here to love for fans of electronica and Adams’ previous projects, but also taps into a rich vein of pop sensibility, providing further intrigue for math-rock nerds and casual listeners alike.

Extra Fox

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The Vincent(s) – Aleister

Here’s what you may need to know…

01. Cork-based “death-pop” ensemble The Vincent(s) this week unveiled the video for new single Aleister, from upcoming full-length Death to the Vincent(s).

02. It’s a more immediate and raw sound than we’ve heard from the band, off the back of previous singles Opium Den Song and Song for the Sea.

03. The latter of those two was given a ridiculously fuzzy, doomy remix by Courtney Taylor-Taylor of the Dandy Warhols, who’s said to have remarked that the band “the sickest and most totally believable heavy rock motherfuckers ever” after a set at Sea Sessions a few years back. As you do.

04. They play Tricky McGarrigle’s in Sligo tonight, Cyprus Avenue in Cork tomorrow night, and the Roisín Dubh in Galway on Thursday night in support of the new video and upcoming new material.

Verdict: These lads have been slogging away for the past few years, and it’s starting to work out, with last year seeing high-profile support slots emerging from hard touring. Expect to hear more from this crowd this year.

The Vincent(s)

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My Tribe Your Tribe – Garden Song

What you may need to know…

01. Kildare alt-rockers My Tribe Your Tribe have just released new single Garden Song this past week, ahead of an upcoming 4-track EP this May.

02. The trio had a busy 2015, with festival appearances all over the country, including Other Voices, Electric Picnic’s Body & Soul stage, Hard Working Class Heroes, and others.

03. Garden Song is a move into more indie/alt-inflected territory, following a 2015 of synth-informed singles. It’s also a tad bit more of a mover than big, sweeping pop tunes like Ghost With You.

04. They’re playing the Sin É in Dubland tomorrow night in a free show, ahead of a run of single-launch shows around the country: Thursday March 3 at Monroe’s in Galway; Saturday March 12 at the Village Pump in Rathangan, Co. Kildare; and Sunday, March 13 at the Crane Lane Theatre in Cork.

Verdict:  Slowly demonstrating an ever-increasing range of influences and reference points, My Tribe Your Tribe are ones to watch for fans of the greater indie-&-alternative oeuvre.

My Tribe Your Tribe

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The Great Balloon Race – Chocolate Beans

What you may need to know…

01. Hailing from Cork, where they’ve been active for the past few years with various line-ups, psychedelia/folk four-piece The Great Balloon Race head in a more blissed-out, jazzy direction with new single Chocolate Beans.

02. Following on from 2012’s Cardboard album and last year’s Daryl and John single, it’s available now, for free/pay-what-you-want download on Bandcamp, and free download from Soundcloud.

03. An accompanying video,  above, was directed by Cork film-maker and photographer Blair Alexander Massie. This is their second collaboration, having worked on the live performance video for Daryl and John.

04. The band are launching Chocolate Beans at legendary venue Connolly’s of Leap this Sunday, with support from promising Cork noisy/synthy unit The Barchester Chronicles. Doors at 9pm, €10 in.

Verdict: Part of a small but vital clutch of bands that comprises Cork’s psych-rock (and related ephemera) scene, The Great Balloon Race have been one of the city’s best-kept secrets of the past few years. Here’s hoping it doesn’t stay that way much longer.

The Great Balloon Race

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Slow Skies – Winter Night

What you may need to know…

01. A gentle piano ballad that brings the best out of the cool, breathy voice of Karen Sheridan, a.k.a. Slow Skies, Winter Night released last week on Dubland-based Paper Trail Records.

02. Working with producer Conal Herron, whom she met while studying music in London, the pair have struck up a working relationship on previous singles that continues here, contrasting a strong voice over delicate keys and strings.

03. Says herself: “Winter Night is about trying to capture a place in time or feeling you once had and wanting to hold on to it, not wanting to move on from it. It’s that feeling you have where you wish you could go back in time and just be in that moment or feeling again. It comes from a place of longing”

04. The single follows a busy 2015, including working closely with Cork audiovisual stable/label Feel Good Lost on live appearances in Ireland and Iceland.

Verdict: A spine-chilling piece of sparse, stark folk that’s an early contender for Irish end-of-year singles lists. Beautiful.

Slow Skies

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Solar Bears – Wild Flowers

What you may need to know…

01. Released a week or two ago by Rob da Bank’s independent label Sunday Best, Wild Flowers marks the return after a three-year hiatus of Dublin/Wicklow electronica duo Solar Bears.

02. Comprised of Rian Trench and John Kowalski, the duo have previously been signed to the  Planet Mu label, with publishing through legendary electronic label Warp. They’re currently preparing their third full-length, Advancement, due on Friday March 18.

03. The Wild Flowers vid was directed by Michael Robinson, who’s previously done promos for Bibio, The Go! Team, and Ronika.

04. To make up for their extended live absence, and to prepare for said upcoming LP, the lads have recorded a fantastic live set of nearly an hour’s worth of new material, for Boiler Room’s Upfront sessions. Stream and download it for free.

Verdict: Simply put: welcome back, Solar Bears. We’ve missed you. Now hurry on and get the new LP out.

Solar Bears

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Sounds Of A System Breakdown – Punishing Love

What you may need to know

01. London-resident Dublander Rob Costello, alongside collaborators Ed Costello and Richy Kelly, form the live electronic collective known as Sounds of System Breakdown. Rather than do the whole static laptop-and-beardstroking bit, the band exist in the physical space, swapping instruments and generally giving it socks.

02. They’re somewhat of a veteran outfit by now, together/active in some form since 2008. New EP Punishing Love (title track streaming above) is their first release since August 2014’s Giving Up single, also included on the EP. Vinyl pops and clicks pockmark a steady mover of a tune, strong beats underpinning a stark yet layered soundscape.

03. The video was directed by the good folk at FailSafe Films, and has a novel twist on the whole “dancer in video” trope – it was filmed at a Strictly Come Dancing night at St. Patrick’s GFC, in Lordship, Co. Louth. It follows Jade and Christopher’s quest to bring home first prize, a beautifully-realised look at small-town life, teamwork, and developing partnerships.

04. No announced live dates in support of the EP just yet, but, oh, look: it’s out on limited edition 12″ vinyl. Get that here. It’s also up on iTunes and Bandcamp for download, and on Spotify for those so inclined.

Verdict: Much to be loved here by fans of electronic, indie, ambient and post-rock. A multifaceted outfit showcases a multifaceted sound.

Sounds of System Breakdown