DATE ARCHIVES : January 2012

Introducing: Lemonada

There are plenty of things one can complain about living in Ireland but a dearth of musical talent, electronic is particular, is certainly not one of them. There’s been a steady stream of exceptional talent emerging over the past 12 months or so and you can add Lemonada to that list too. 

From the confines of his bedroom the 21-year-old Dublin producer has been putting together impressive electronic, hip-hop infused, cut and paste sample-heavy style beats. Kelly Green Volume 1 is his first collection of material, all original tracks with some samples from records picked up in charity shops, it showcases this style perfectly. As well as making beat tapes he has also released a number of slick remixes for the likes of The Gorgeous Colours and Come On Live Long.

You can grab Kelly Green Volume 1 and the remixes below. 

Download: The Gorgeous Colours – Chopped Heart (Lemonada Remix)

 Download: Come On Live Long – Someone’s Home (Lemonada Remix)

Download: Boya – Redux (Lemonada’s Rasta Ready Remix)

120 Days – ‘Dahle Disco’

Norwegian quartet 120 Days have debuted their brand new single from their second LP, ‘Dahle Disco’.

‘Dahle Disco’ is an electrifying and pulsating journey through house, techy ambience, deep pulsating electro and back again. Just short of an epic 10 minutes, it is a relentless onslaught before really exploding into life around the eight minute mark.

Enjoy the shape-shifting sound of ‘Dahle Disco’ below. Their forthcoming album 120 Days II, out March 5th.

 Download: 120 Days – Dahle Disco

MMOTHS – Heart (Feat. Keep Shelly In Athens)

The past 12 months has witnessed an overwhelming explosion of exciting musical talent in Ireland.

None have captured the imagination more so than Newbridge producer Jack Colleran aka MMOTHS (formerly Moths). His enigmatic rise is well documented but is now gearing up for the release of his debut EP and has treated us to a sneak preview.

‘Heart’ will sound pretty familiar to many MMOTHS fans, it is after all a fully fleshed out of predecessor ‘<3′. This is gorgeous light, airy and dreamy song enhanced somewhat by Sarah from Keep Shelly In Athens, who lends her considerable vocal talents to yet another Irish electronic artist (she also featured on the latest Solar Bears track ‘Alpha People‘).

The EP is out on March 5 via SQE Music and is launched in Twisted Pepper on Feb 18th. You can listen to the song below.

MMoths – Heart (Feat. Keep Shelly In Athens)

The Cast of Cheers: ‘Family’ video & Jape remix

The Cast of Cheers announced their return last month with a bang when Zane Lowe played ‘Family’ twice, back to back, on Radio 1.

One month and a shed load of radio plays later. The Cast of Cheers have unleashed a Russell Weekes directed video made up of 5,000 separate photographs for new single ‘Family’. The track itself is packed full of driving beats, catchy riffs and a ton of rhythmic energy; there is an air of The Futureheads or Maximo Park to it too. That’s not all, Jape has turned his hand to reworking of the song too, the result of which can be heard below.

‘Family’ is due on February 3rd via School Boy Error and is the first taster from The Cast of Cheers debut album proper, produced by Luke Smith (ex-Clor) and set for release in 2012.

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Download: The Cast of Cheers – Family (Jape Remix)

 The Cast Of Cheers – Family 

Quompilation #2: Irish bands cover their favourite tracks of 2011

Quarter Inch’s Quompilation is back again this year for round two in the series of Irish artists covering their favourite songs, this time of course from 2011.

Is it better than it’s 2010 counterpart? Hard to say really but it certainly is on a par with its forebearer. There is some cracking stuff on offer here as Girl Band cover The Chemical Brothers, Ginola tackle Tieranniesaur, Logikparty rework John Maus, Simon Bird dons Kavinsky’s apparel and No Monster Club do more justice to Jedward than they deserve.

You can check out the whole 11 tracks and get more details over on the Quarter Inch website. The launch night takes place this Friday night in Crawdaddy with The Ambience Affair, Cloud Castle Lake, No Monster Club, Simon Bird, Girl Band, Ginola, Turning Down Sex and Rhino Magic all on the bill.

Download: Simon Bird – Night Call (Kavinsky Cover)

Ginola – I Don’t Stop (Tieranniesaur Cover)

 Girl Band – Hanna’s Theme (The Chemical Brothers Cover)

 Logikparty – Quantum Leap (Logikparty’s Pitiless Censor Mix) (John Maus Cover)

Gross Relations – ‘Cut The Final Scene’

Brooklyn band Gross Relations have been lauded for their musical prowess on this blog many times.

The band are about to head into the studio and begin recording their debut album. To stave off the withdrawal symptoms they have released a brand new song called ‘Cut The Final Scene’. It retains their love for all things fuzzy, infectious and garage rock. Recorded in a real studio for the first time, production is improved and the sound pumped. It sounds a little different to their older stuff, in fact, it’s decidley quirky in that kind of Graham Coxon way.

Whatever the case, it is a super track and you can grab it below for free. I’m very excited to hear what they can cook up in the studio.

Download: Gross Relations – Cut The Final Scene

(Video) Modeselektor feat. Otto von Schirach – Evil Twin

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The second single from Modeselektor‘s Monkeytown has arrived along with a slightly off the wall video.

‘Evil Twin’ features the vocal talents of Otto von Schirach and is a full-blown sensory overload, as only Modeselektor can do. ‘Evil Twin’ plays like a younger sibling to ‘Black Block’ or even ‘Kill Bill Vol. 4’, it is energetic, experimental and the video especially is in keeping with duo’s love of being silly.

Another whopper tune from Modeselektor whose Button Factory show last year was easily one of the best I had the pleasure witnessing in 2011.


Introducing: Faws – ‘Dublin-based minimal ambient electronic sounds’

Little is known about Faws, an anonymous Dublin-based producer who took the unusual step of releasing the Antonym EP on Christmas Eve.

A decision for many that would be deemed commercial suicide but it’s admirable to see things been done different in avoiding the usual fanfare and distractions and letting the music speak for itself. He has set out to do just that, to “pave his own sound, and disconnect the music from any persona, letting the music speak for itself.” This not your run of the mill artist right here but who cares?

Influenced by Burial to Mos Def, the former being more obvious, Faws takes the listener on a meandering jaunt through a world of minimal ambient electronics with clean, crisp beats and rich textures which create dark atmospheres, emotion and a feeling of venturing into the unknown.

The Antonym EP is not on sale yet but is available to stream via Bandcamp. It will take quite a few listens to fully appreciate but it is worth it, this is a stylish debut from a promising and mysterious talent.

Faws – Take Notice

Faws – Camille via Sound Injections

Introducing: The North Sea

The North Sea were formed in 2010 through a collective love of ’80s and ’90s indie and it certainly shows, with echoes of The Wedding Present, The Smiths and The Stone Roses flickering through.

The Dublin five piece have been busy on the live front playing shows across Ireland and the UK including Indiependence, Knockanstockan and Whelans One To Watch over the weekend. The band have served us a sumptuous sneak peek of their forthcoming EP with ‘Decay’. It is as close to a perfect indie song as it gets with guitars, drums and Eoin Kenny’s stunning vocals all woven together into a lush and rousing number.

‘Decay’ may be one solitary track but it is certainly good enough to get us excited about their forthcoming EP, out later in 2012, which give a clearer idea of what these guys have in the locker. 

Download: The North Sea – Decay

Blurred Lines: Free Downtempo Electronic Sounds

Netlabel Blurry Pup Recordings have very generously served us New Year treat with Blurred Lines, a free compilation showcasing the talents of the various artists from its roster.

The label specialises in downtempo ambient electronic music so it is hardly surprising to find this is the staple of the release. It features artists from Canada, USA, Finland, UK and Ireland who all submitted tracks especially for this release.

There is some really great stuff on here with inclusions from both Imploded View (whom we’ve met before) and Lost Integrity standing out from the crowd.

You can try both below but why not download Blurred Lines for free here? Go on, you know it makes sense.

Download: Imploded View – Whats Next Bobby?

Download: Lost Integrity – Afternoon Sleep