DATE ARCHIVES : May 2011

Ginola & Turning Down Sex Split Cassette

I had intended posting this last week but the death of my modem put an end to that, unsurprisingly it’s quite difficult to keep a blog going with out an internet connection. I popped along to the launch of  It’s A Disagreeable Thing To Be Whipped upstairs in Whelan’s on Saturday night and it didn’t disappoint. Ginola deserve particular praise for what was a scintillating performance, it’s always a plus when a band you’ve been looking out for don’t let you down. Enough chatter, here’s the piece meant for last week, hopefully the blog will be firing on all cylinders soon.  

Ginola and Turning Down Sex have joined forces with Quarter Inch Collective for a new split cassette, It’s A Disagreeable Thing To Be Whipped. The split release is a loud and noisy 25 minute fusion of punk and hardcore. 

We met Ginola last year with double a-side You Never Met Someone Like Me. This time they weigh in with a further seven tracks of feisty shout-a-long garage punk, think Double Dagger meets Zero Boys. Meanwhile Turning Down Sex deliver six tracks of highly charged hardcore punk, all of which are new to me.

The Quarter Inch Collective has been a great addition to Irish music. Since I took up this blogging malarkey they have outdone themselves with a number of quality releases including the superb Quompilation #1. Fear not, this release is of an equally high standard and has had me captivated the past week and driven the neighbors demented no doubt.

There’s a few tasters below, you can stream It’s A Disagreeable Thing To Be Whipped in full over on the Quarter Inch Collective site. It is limited to 100 copies on cassette but can be downloaded via bandcamp too.

Ginola – Dark & Handsome Ginola – Thruster

 Turning Down Sex – Come And Get Your Dinner, Simon Bird

 Turning Down Sex – What In The World Is Your Blood

Ciaran Lenehan – ‘It’s Never Too Late’ EP

The past year has seen Dubliner Ciaran Lenehan earning his stripes on the live circuit, sharing the bill with the likes of Damien Dempsey, Frank Turner and Joe Echo. Now with skills honed, he’s recorded debut EP It’s Never Too Late, enlisting the assistance of good friends Ste Devine, Kev Behan and Brian Kennedy.

The 3-track EP highlights Lenehan’s obvious penchant for storytelling, which along with his elegant and eloquent songs provides a charming insight into the ideas and personality of one man.

He opens proceedings with the catchy, upbeat and joyful ‘Too Late’, which is brimming with memorable sing-a-long moments. ‘You Stole Today’ is a powerful and emotive number, akin to Seize The Day era Damien Dempsey perhaps, while ‘Wake Me Up’ is of a much more slow burner building all the while to an epic finale.

Ciaran Lenehan is a songwriter to be reckoned with; simple, assured and engaging. Most importantly he has the talent to make wonderful stories into fantastic songs.

It’s Never Too Late is out this Friday May 20th w/ the launch in The Lower Deck, Portebello, the same day at 8pm (€7 entry includes copy of the EP!). Support from Ciara Ashmore.

Ciaran Lenehan – You Stole Today

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Gruff Rhys ‘They Shoot Music’ Session

If you’re already a fan of Gruff Rhys then you’ve probably picked up his wonderful latest solo album Hotel Shampoo, you’ve heard the heartwarming ‘Shark Ridden Waters’ and ‘If We Were Words (We Would Rhyme)’. If not, no need to worry, there is plenty of time to.

While in Vienna earlier in the year the Super Furry Animals frontman met up with They Shoot Music to film an intimate session. On one of the first sunny days in early spring Gruff played beautiful acoustic versions of ‘Shark Ridden Waters’ on the picturesque Minoritenplatz and ‘If We Were Words (We Would Rhyme)’ in a Viennese park.

Gruff truly is one of the most talented and eccentric musicians in the world today (who carries around a life jacket?). It his embracing of these oddities which make his music warm, charming and touching.

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Ganglians – Jungle

Sacramento’s Ganglians are set to release a double LP, Still Living, in August.

The 4-piece psych-rockers avoided my gaze until now, strange as they’ve apparently been prolific with releases if relatively quiet in the past two years. Regardless of this immaterial tangent, ‘Jungle’ heralds their return. It is a jangly hook ridden number, choc-a-bloc with wonderful chord shifts, complimentary drums and sing-a-long choruses.

If this is indicative of the quality we can expect from Still Living we are in for a hell of a treat.

‘Jungle’ is taken from the forthcoming Still Living, out 29th August 2011 via Souterrain Transmissions.

Download: Ganglians – Jungle

Video: Pete and the Pirates – United

Pete and the Pirates forthcoming new album One Thousand Pictures is one of the most anticipated release of 2011. 

The delightful ‘Come to the Bar’ added fuel to this fire and now second single ‘United’ doesn’t disappoint either. It’s another sublime cut of ditsy, easy on the ear and infectious indie trademark hooks proving if proof be needed, they are more than able to cut a beautiful happy-go-lucky, easy on the ear indie tune.

The band have unveiled an uber cat friendly video for ‘United’ which is out now and with the release of One Thousand Pictures almost upon us (May 23rd) it is accompanied with a couple of tunes to catch up.

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 Pete And The Pirates – Winter 1

Pete And The Pirates – Come To The Bar

Pete and the Pirates – Come to the Bar (Dan Le Sac Remix)

Polarsets – Sunshine Eyes

Newcastle trio Polarsets come from same school as the likes of Friendly Fires and Two Door Cinema Club.

The trio have been filling an electro-indie void with the tentative wait for Friendly Fires new LP to arrive (out today!). Their latest single ‘Sunshine Eyes’ has a fresh and airy energy to their blissed-out melodies, all smothered with feel-good dance inducing vibes.  

Already signed to Kitsuné, I suppose we can expect to hear a lot more from Polarsets in the future. 

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Polarsets – Sunshine Eyes

Polarsets – Sunshine Eyes (Jensen Sportag Mix)

Mirror People – Hunter

We dropped in on Mirror People (AKA Rui Maia) last year when the Portuguese producer released the excellent Night Impact EP. Thankfully he has not left it too long before making a glorious return, teaming up with Solar Disco to release Hunter.

The stellar ‘Hunter’ picks up where he left off last time out, it’s minimal yet rich, atmospheric, synth-filled electro with nods to DFA and other electronic pioneers. On this occasion remix duties have fallen to Scouse DJ Gareth Cheshire who delivers his own sterling dancefloor-readied take on proceedings.

Mr. Maia has delivered again, no messing, over elaboration or self-indulgence. Long may it continue.

Mirror People – Hunter

Mirror People – Hunter (Gareth Cheshire Remix)

Cashier No.9 – Lost At Sea

Only a few weeks back we checked in with Casher No.9 and the release of their wonderful Goldstar EP.

The Belfast 5-piece are not hanging around, currently readying themselves for the release of their David Holmes produced debut album To The Death of Fun out on Bella Union.

‘Lost At Sea’ sees them pick up where they left off with Goldstar suggesting the band will continue to embrace this shimmering, melodious ’60s style music.

To The Death Of Fun is out on June 17th in Ireland (20th in UK and Europe).

Download: Cashier No.9 – Lost At Sea

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Gig: Moon Duo :: The Workmans Club :: May 13th

San Francisco’s Moon Duo roll into Dublin town this Friday for a show in the Workman’s Club.

Moon Duo arrive in the capital as part of their tour promoting the recently released debut album, Mazes. The album is a wonderful and rather unusual blend of warm fuzzy, psychedelic rock n roll with chilling electronic undertones, what the band calls ‘trance rock’.

As one of the more unusual artists I have discovered I’m very excited to catch their live show, it has all the ingredients to be a great night. To get you in the mood we’ve the lead track from Mazes and an interview with the band at this years SXSW from those cool cats at Cock and Bull TV. Friday 13th, lucky for some.

Moon Duo play The Workmans Club this Friday, May 13th. Support is from Kim Ki O and tickets €16/Doors @ 8pm

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 Download: Moon Duo – Mazes via Souterraintransmissions

Moon Duo – Scars via Republic of Music

Siriusmo – Mosaik

Berlin based producer Siriusmo has been releasing music for over a decade now. His talent and ability to craft exciting electronic music is demonstrated by a raft of singles and remixes over the past few years. This ensured an appetite for his debut LP Mosaik which was unsurprisingly earmarked by pundits as a dance album to watch this year.

Mosaik is an explores through the psyche of an enigmatic genius. This eclectic patchwork of electronic music takes us on a rollercoaster ride where you can never tell what is coming next; dubstep to disco, hip-hop to house, electro and the experimental right the way through. There are a couple of thundering dance floor designed electro tunes ‘Sirimande’ and ‘Feromonikon’, some more subtle, playful pieces of electronica like ‘Signal’ ‘Idiologe’ and ‘123’, and the more experimental ‘Peeved’ and ‘Feed My Meat Machine’.

Siriusmo like label bosses, admirers and friends Modeselektor, he doesn’t take himself too seriously. It is here, embracing the boisterous side where his prodigious imagination comes to the fore using wacky vocal monologues and cartoonish blips, beeps and sound effects to full effect. Being unafraid to have fun is something sadly lacking with much modern electronic music. This coupled with his technical ability helps him to reconcile such extremes into coherent songs and a cohesiveness album.

It is impossible to do this record justice using mere words alone. Mosaik is without a doubt one the most original electronic music albums you’ll hear in 2011. Siriusmo proves he’s comfortable just about everywhere on the musical landscape and in doing so delivered a strong candidate for album of the year.

Siriusmo – Sirimande via tfortonio

 Siriusmo – Feromonikon via thesubs-blog

Siriusmo – Feed My Meatmachine via Niklaus