DATE ARCHIVES : April 2012

Record Store Day in Top Twenty Newbridge w/ BarryGruff

As it has been well publised elsewhere, Record Store Day takes place this Saturday, April 21st. It is a day when people celebrate and support their local independent record store, as stores across the globe reciprocate the feeling by hosting live music, offers, exclusive and limited edition releases for the day.

This year ‘Record Store Day’ is coming to Newbridge for the first time. It’s taking place in Top Twenty from 2pm and I’m delighted to be involved in helping host a special set of live in-store performances from Captain Moonlight, Sive, Appo, Sea Area Forecast, Substance and Paul McCormack. As well as great live performances, to celebrate Record Store Day and 25 years in business, the guys in Top Twenty will be offering 10% off all stock (excluding tickets) for one day only.

There’s plenty happening elsewhere too, so if you’re not in the area you should check out what’s happening in your local store and pop by, listen to some music and maybe buy a record. More info & Facebook event page. 

Sive – Sunkissed

Captain Moonlight – Uniform State

The Urges – Fire Burning / I’ve Been Here Before | Double A-Side Single

The Urges are returning with double A-side ‘Fire Burning / I’ve Been Here Before’. It is released this Saturday, April 21st, which of course is Record Store Day.

These guys really excited when they first arrived on my radar with ‘Around and (Around again)’ and later with their debut album Psych Ward. The Urges were never a band concerned with cool current trends, they made no bones about their affinity for 1960s garage/psychedelic music. This is something that continues to resonate with both new tracks. ‘Fire Burning’ and ‘I’ve Been Here Before’ remain swathed in ’60s sounds, yet there is a little less inclination to tumble into frenetic psychedelic freakouts. Instead, preferring to embrace the softer subtleties of the genre, including the wonderfully addition of horns create a wholly smoother, soulful upbeat vibe.

This is their interpretation of a genre and era they know and love, what makes them stand out is (as before), it is executed with love and expert precession. It’s great to see them releasing new material and with an album apparently coming later in the year, things might just get even better.

Fire Burning / I’ve Been Here Before is out April 21st, on 7″/CD & there’s a launch party on Saturday May 5th in Sweeneys, Dame St.

Introducing: Sive | Charming & Sweet Folk / Alt Rock Fusion

Sive is the brainchild of Kildare songwriter and musician Sadhbh O’Sullivan. The band was formed (in full) in 2010 following the addition of Eoin Hartweig, Patrick Hopkins and Mark Dudley to the fold. 

Drawing from a wide variety of alternative rock, jazz and folk influences, Sive’s gorgeous sound is a fusion of these influences, with perfect arrangement, excellent musicianship and charm. No question it is Sadhbh’s voice which is the greatest asset, it is simultaneously powerful, delicate and intricate, sweeping along sweetly, adding depth and feeling to songs, both bright and touching.

Sive left quite an impression on everyone with a stupendous performance at ‘BarryGruff Presents’ back in December and with their debut album, We Are Moving, out this Thursday, April 19th, it was high time we shed some light on this talent. The launch takes place in The Grand Social on the same day. More info here.

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 Sive – We Are Moving

Download: Sive – Sunkissed

Attaque – When Light Falls

Attaque‘s progress over the past nine months has been followed tentatively on here, with the young producer proving he was certainly no novice.

His debut album, When Light Falls, comprises of ten heads-down, brain-crumpling kinetic electro powerhouses, yet there is a real fluidity to the album. Carefully planned and co-ordinated to perfection it manages to build the mood and pace gradually, step-by-step, from one to the next.

A colossus of energy and intensity runs wildly throughout this aural assault of direct, driven and rattling  floor filling techno. From the dark atmospherics of ‘Don’t Stop’, ‘Signals’ and ‘Shine’ to far more aggressive an intense blasts of minimal blips and beeps that clambers all over the bassline crisp, seductive ‘False’, ‘The End’ – this will have have dancefoors gyrating with verve and vigor.

It has been coined ‘Future Techno’ and while this blend of electro and techno is not something you will want to hear 24/7, experienced in the right context, this is an almighty statement of intent and really is quite stunning.

Download: Attaque – When Light Falls

 Attaque – Reflection

Attaque – Shadows

Full album stream here

A few words on Django Django: My favorite album of 2012 so far

I had extremely high hopes for Django Django‘s debut record. The preceding singles were not only promising, they were spectacular statements of intent. Thankfully their self-titled debut surpasses even my grand expectations.

There are undeniable similarities with The Beta Band (hardly a negative thing) but they have far from copied or imitated. Part of Django Django’s appeal is their ability to seamlessly blend genres and sounds from a melting pot of influences into a striking blend of understated indie, with an electro groove at its heart. Through the rockabilly riffs of ‘Default’, ‘Life’s A Beach’ or ‘WOR’, the electro grooves of ‘Wavforms’ or ‘Zumm Zumm’, or the softer, folkier textures of ‘Love’s Dart’, ‘Firewater’ and ‘Hand Of Man’, it just works. Anchored by alluring harmonies and an undeniable groove which permeates the record throughout, this is indie music to dance to, 

It is hard to do such a marvelous record justice in a few mere words, take it from me, this is an inspired and wholly irresistible debut.

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Download: Django Django – Default

Django Django – Waveforms


(Video) The Mighty Stef – If You Cant Give Me Everything

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The Mighty Stef & Cheap Freaks are releasing a split 7″ for Record Store Day. Entitled Bad Bad Men, the EP features four covers of songs by american songwriter Greg Cartwright. To give us a taste of what’s to come, here is The Mighty Stef’s wonderfully touching rendition of ‘If You Cant Give Me Everything’ and Lindsey Byrne’s directed video.

The Bad Bad Men EP will be available from a variety of record stores in Dublin on the 21st of April.

Gaz Coombes – ‘Hot Fruit’

Gaz Coombes is prepping the release of his debut solo album, Here Come The Bombs, his first material since Supergrass announced their split in 2010.

We already heard ‘Subdivider‘ but the latest cut from the Supergrass frontman, ‘Hot Fruit’, adds an injection hi-energy to this more familiar catchy indie-rock. It sounds as though, if there were any lingering doubts, we’re in for a treat on May 21st when Here Come The Bombs hits the shelves. 

Coombes will be playing Camden Crawl Dublin (May 11 – 12) & you can give ‘Hot Fruit’ a spin below.

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 Gaz Coombes – Hot Fruit via TheSoundfull

Elliphant – ‘In The Jungle’ + ‘TeKKno Scene’

As far as information goes, it is pretty scant when it comes to Swedish lady Elliphant.

She is signed to the same publishing and production company as Niki & The Dove and Icona Pop but please allow her first two electro jams to speak for themselves. ‘In The Jungle’ is a pick and mix of sounds, first and foremost a party tune, no doubt about it. Through a mix of hypnotic bleeping sounds, tribal drumming and bass, it’s destined to descend into a dance crazed frenzy. Meanwhile ‘TeKKno Scene (Feat. Adam Kanyama)’ continues the madness with it’s off-beat tribal drumming skips.

I can’t get enough of these two tracks, there is something of M.I.A. or Santigold about them, or even the more fun moments from Groove Armada (remember Superstylin’?). Give both tracks a listen below and please, try to contain yourself.

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 Download the full track here.

 Elliphant – TeKKno Scene (Feat. Adam Kanyama)

via Nialler9

Crocodiles – Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)

San Diego’s Crocodiles have existed in various incarnations since 2008, evolving from a core of Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell into the five-piece we see today.

With two albums already under their belt, the band are readying the release of number three, of which, ‘Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)’ is the first taster. It is a heart pounding and energetic dose of scuzzy, lo-fi indie pop with the added addictive catchiness of an early Ash single.

‘Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)’ is the first single to be taken from the band’s forthcoming new album Endless Flowers, out June 4th. Download it below.

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Download: Crocodiles – Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)

Tenaka’s Collected mix | ‘Rhythm Incursions’

Tenaka (Aka Ronan Carroll) is one of many impressive Irish electronic producers to emerge in recent times. He has put together a 47 minute long mix Rhythm Incursions, a collection of 21 tracks that include remixes, previously released, unreleased and demo tracks, charting his musical journey so far. Impressive stuff.

As the man himself puts it:

“Since my first EP I’ve been close to and scraped 2 albums (one after the ‘Eponymously Titled’ EP and one after the ‘EPhemeral’ EP) .‘Collected’ is a snapshot of those tracks which includes remixes, previously released, unreleased and demos tracks. I took this opportunity to compile them in this mix to serve as a bridge between the EPhemeral EP and the EPoch EP which will be released this summer. I guess this is the closest I’ll get to finishing an album any time soon”
 
For the full tracklisting & to download the mix in full, click through to here.