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.
JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW – New single and big gigs announced for October
What you may need to know…
01. Dubliner James Vincent McMorrow is a world-travelled troubadour and songwriter, possibly in scarce need of an introductory piece at this stage.
02. New album We Move is up for pre-order now, following on from much-fancied sophomore LP Post-Tropical, which led McMorrow around the world and to sold-out shows in Sydney Opera House, Choice Music Prize nominations, and getting sampled by hip-hop oligarch Drake.
03. Streaming above is the video for first single Rising Water, directed by Freenjoy and according to McMorrow, documents “the things we tell ourselves to move through loss”.
04. Big gigs announced to launch the record include Galway’s Black Box on August 5th, and Dublin’s National Stadium on August 7th.
VERDICT: Wonderfully barebones, cathartic synthiness that bodes well for the upcoming LP.
Le Galaxie – playing around the country this weekend
What you may need to know…
1. Dublin’s Le Galaxie bring unashamed, unabashed dancey, indie, ’80s-y synthpop to the fore, and have done so while becoming one of the country’s best live bands, when not dabbling in DJing under the moniker.
2. Having done the rounds previously as alt-rockers 66e, the four-piece regrouped in 2008, quickly garnering a following around the country and making their way around the world, from headlining Body & Soul, Sea Sessions and Castlepalooza, to SXSW and the Secret Garden Party. This summer sees them take on London’s Lovebox fest and Fiberfib fest in Benicassim, Spain.
3. 2011 saw them release debut album Laserdisc Nights II to wild applause from Irish music media, followed by 2012’s Fade 2 Forever EP.
4. Streaming above is the video for Love System, a live favourite and a tune that’s been tapped as a leadoff for two releases now, featuring on Fade 2 Forever before assuming its final, sleazily sax-laden form on Universal-released second album Le Club with this Feel Good Lost-directed visual accompaniment.
5. Their next excursion is for the May bank hollier – Friday sees them hit Waterford’s Central Arts, before heading out to the Wild West: the reopened and reawesomised Connolly’s of Leap happening this Saturday night. Sunday sees them play Dingle’s Féile na Bealtaine fest.
Verdict: The soundtrack to any neon, futuristic cinemascape you can imagine, from cool long-shot cities, to weepy end-credit belters, melted down and poured onto the tumult and movement of a packed dancefloor.
