POSTS TAGGED : Irish

Rotation Roundup #2

Time is becoming increasingly precious and difficult to obtain these days but I still have a grá on me for blogging.

So, this is an attempt cover more of what I am listening to on a regular basis, with a relatively quick roundup of what has been on rotation over the past week or two.

The aim is to keep them coming on a weekly / biweekly basis or failing that, I may as well pack this malarkey in altogether.

Panic Shack – ‘Mannequin Man‘

Cardiff noisemakers Panic Shack will release their debut EP, Baby Shack EP, on April 8th via Brace Yourself Records and ahead of which, they have shared lead single ‘Mannequin Man‘.The track is exactly what you’d expect from Panic Shack; a raw, spiky and incendiary punky cut bursting with bouncy basslines, chant along vocals, hooks galore and plenty of attitude. A rip roaring return, the forthcoming EP promises to be quite something.

Lyndsey Lawlor – ‘Love, Lust, Indifference & Hatred’

Lyndsey Lawlor is a Dublin spoken word artist who has teamed up with Kildare producer Gary O’Reilly (Mix & Fairbanks) for new album, Dearest Philistine, released in January. The album came to fruition with Lawlor locked down away from her band and creating an entire record with O’Reilly. ‘Love, Lust, Indifference & Hatred’ is the latest single lifted from the album, Lawlor’s vocals brimming with a positive and hopeful air flow cooly above a beautiful blend of warm, fluffy electronics that shimmer above a soft pattering of captivating beats. 

Peaness – ‘How I’m Feeling’

Longstanding BG favs Peaness have announced their debut album. The Chester trio will release World Full of Worry via their own Totally Snick Records on 6th May, preceded by new single ‘How I’m Feeling’.

Having charmed our ears for years with their irresistible brand of melodic, indie-pop goodness, and latest single is no different. Propelled by a playful, sunny energy juxtaposed by reflecting on the self-loathing and melancholy that can come from being stuck in an unfulfilling job, whilst offering a sense of hope that you can make a positive change. It is insanely catchy, littered with gloriously glossy harmonies, honey-sweet vocals and uplifting jangling hooks . Yet another gem from Peaness who have a propensity for such magic you know.

Listen to ‘How I’m Feeling’ below.

MEMES – ‘Second Thought’

Glasgow’s self-proclaimed “laptop-rock” duo MEMES – composed of cousins John and Paul McLinden – are back with another scintillating slice of fiery and fierce post-punk in the shape of ‘Second Thought’. Unleashed with a feverish intensity, it underlines all there is to love about this tempestuous pairing; unpredictable and unconventional ‘Second Thought’ is fuelled by an erratic, jerky punk electricity and coiled up bassline while the raspy vocals dance over the jagged rhythms and meaty stomp. A thrilling and exhilarating jam; brilliant from MEMES, who have nailed it again.

Astrosurf – ‘Highlife’

Astrosurf are a Toronto based trio with a penchant for freeflowing blues-rock leaning surf sounds, inspired by the cosmos, the open range and seas (like a harder edged, blues embracing version of Wales’ Y Niwl).

The trio’s latest release, Anything But… came out in December of last year and ‘Highlife’ is the latest single lifted from it. ‘Highlife’ perfectly captures the essence of Astrosurf in just under four minutes; it is marvelously scuzzy, unfurling with a lifeforce of its own packed with seductive grooves, meandering catchy  melodies and lashing of fuzz, feedback and mighty reverb laden riffs and licks. To their credit, Astrosurf sound familiar yet authentic, carving their own modern day niche that is, in their own words, “music for surfers, cowboys and spies”.

Live Review: The Charlatans in Dublin (23/11/21)

Personally a big fan of The Charlatans, Us & Us Only still ranks as one of my favourite albums so I was delighted when Alan Brady emailed me though a review of their show in the Olympia. I have seen them live maybe six times over the years and I can’t say I ever felt short changed. Anyway, thanks to Alan for the review and how nice is it to be talking about gigs again. Take it away Alan.

What has been one of the most irritating things about the whole Corona Virus lockdown which has engulfed us in this country for the last two years? Possibly it has to be the lack of a live music gig, and the opportunity to go to a rock concert in a dark, wedged Olympia Theatre. Well the Charlatans ended that drought in superb fashion in late November, with a newly long blonde-haired Tim Burgess and co. thrilling the audience in what is surely the best music venue in Dublin.

The task of providing support for the West Midlands, England act lay at the feet of Aoife Nessa Frances, and the pop and folk Dublin songwriter duly began her set in a relaxed and leisurely manner with ‘Blow Up’ – a tune from her debut album ‘Land Of No Junction’ (2020). Maeve McKenna on the harp supplemented Frances’ singing and guitar playing, although it must be noted that the consequences were varied. The pair performed a lot of songs from Frances’ upcoming new album, which the Sallynoggin-originated singer told us won’t be released for a considerable period of time. The packed audience was enamored by her reverberating singing and guitar strumming, which firmly got the spectators in the humor for the headline act.

Enter the Charlatans – led by the strangely haired Burgess in his eccentric jumper – who were on top form from start to finish of their 23-song set. Proceedings were set in motion with a long intro to ‘Forever’, during which a very enthusiastic looking Burgess danced onstage to rapturous applause. Some of the best performed tunes were ‘Just When You’re Thinking Things Over’, ‘Can’t Get Out of Bed’, and ‘A Needs To Be Told’ – in which the steel guitar was somehow bestowed on keyboards.

Mark Collins was in superb form throughout as his riffs on songs such as ‘One To Another’ and ‘North Country Boy’ – encouraged the crowd to firmly bop – with Burgess duly egging them on to do so. Fans loudly sang along to the latter tune as those in attendance were now seriously in concert mood, and thunderous applause appropriately ensued. ‘How High’ was another ballad to see the voice-level raised around the one-hundred and sixty-six year-old venue.

‘The Blind Stagger’ built up in a slow and leisurely fashion, whilst conversely the audience was treated to an ecstatic rendition of ‘The Only One I Know’; and those present were further treated with a fantastic version of ‘ I Never Want An Easy Life’. The encore possibly encompassed the best-performed songs, as a harmonica-wielding Burgess led the way in an energetic version of ‘Impossible’, before their customary set-closer ‘Sproston Green’ – which again contained Collins displaying various burly guitar riffs – ended proceedings.

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening, and although it’s been a tough two years for us fans of live music in Ireland, it was fantastic to see Burgess, Collins, Martin Blunt and Tony Rogers provide all at the famous Dublin Two venue with their fix of entertainment again.

Alan Brady

Future West – ‘Late Last Nite’

Future West is the creative outlet centred around Dundalk-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Francis Watters, who do a fine line in scrappy indie meets groove ridden post-punk.

Having spent the last year-and-a-half writing and recording new material with an all-new line up, Future West will release debut album Who Will Forgive All My Sins in early 2022 and have also shared the first glimpse of their graft, with the superb ‘Late Last Nite’.

Born out of frustration from fear and an internal argument after one too many nights of drinking and staying up too late indoors during quarantine times. Introspective, melancholic wistfulness and smouldering anger thrive in equal measure as vocals shift through the gears to hammer home the lyrics while guitars burn, buzz and jerk amid a layer of fuzz and Strokes-esque vibes meets LCD-style grooves. It is captivating, urgent and groove fuelled post-punk that is candidly introspective yet swaggering – and absolutely brilliant.

Tune in below:

SPRINTS – ‘Modern Job’

We’ve been tracking Dublin-based post-punk outfit Sprints for a while now and have impressed no end on each time of asking with their raw, raucous and potent post-punk sound.

Following on from the phenomenal Manifesto EP earlier thai year, Sprints return with news of new EP called A Modern Job, which is due out via Nice Swan Records on March 11 2022. Sprints have already left an indelible mark with releases to date and like their previous work is a fired-up, raucous blast of post-punk. Exploding out of the blocks with ferocious vitality and energy, Karla Chubb’s spoken-sung vocals bite and rise with a focused anger amid the dark, bass-heavy rumblings, sharp guitars and searing noise. Dark, brooding and bone-rattling, potent and poignant;  impressive stuff as usual.

Listen to ‘Modern Job’ below:

The Metallic Cranes – ‘Animated Landscape with Cranes’

The Metallic Cranes is an Irish producer with a vivid imagination and penchant for slow-tempo house with a retro-futuristic slant.

‘Animated Landscape with Cranes’ is the producer’s debut single, and it is a doozy. Written based on an imaginary music video, where a boy is sitting in the back of a car on a long drive across an ocean causeway with cranes flying overhead, and watching the car drive by. Using the sound of cranes, wind, and granular synthesis to create the world the song lives in, they have created something memorable.

‘Animated Landscape with Cranes’ is a fascinatingly imaginative and richly developed electronic excursion; a hypnotic, slick and cinematic vision of downtempo house. It is propelled forward on a wave of soft beats, kicks, twinkly neon-synths and seductive grooves as it meanders along, all in its own time, while a robotic voice whispers in the wind and nocturnal air. A magnificent track masterfully pieced together from start to finish, colourfully creating an incredible sense of wonderment and bringing you under its hypnotic spell from the off.

Listen to ‘Animated Landscape with Cranes’ below now – it is simply magnificent!


Blimp – ‘Always In My Mind’

Blimp is a Dublin-based producer with a penchant for lush, warm and woozy slices of seductive house/electronica – attributes demonstrated in abundance by the beautiful, feelgood and sunny electronica escapism of new single ‘Always In My Mind’.

‘Always In My Mind’ follows debut single ‘Back To Me’ (feat. Kareem Ali) earlier this year, and delivers something deliciously seductive; marrying the exquisite elegance of electronica, dancefloor focus and seductive grooves of house music – and in doing so, crafting something we’d expect from far more seasoned hands. It is a lush, lavish and sunkissed affair as warm synths fizz with life and effervescence, gushing over soft beats, deep seductive grooves and sparkling spurts of electronics, amid an abundance of uplifting and sunny vibes. ‘Always In My Mind’ is a beautifully, uplifting and lush jam, bound together by a feelgood vibe, seductive groove, and peppered by bouts of mild euphoria and compulsion to dance.

One to get lost in as it forms a real sense of familiarity, oozing nostalgic feelings for hazy summer days and nights – and something that will keep you coming back for more.

Listen to ‘Always In My Mind’ below now:

Bobsled Team – ‘Hey Kid’

Bobsled Team are a Belfast pairing – Oliver and Kimberley – with a preference for dreamy, lo-fi guitar-pop – and proudly DIY.

The emerged last year with jaunty debut single ‘This Pink Moon’ and put last year’s rolling Covid-19 lockdowns to productive use, having brought their debut album The Colours Blur into the world this summer. The latest single lifted from the record is ‘Hey Kid’ – a slightly rough around the edges, lo-fi ditty with a charming heart of gold – it perfectly captures the aesthetic of both band and album. ‘Hey Kid’ takes us on a melodic meander as a soft snare patters beneath layers of woozy tones, swirling fuzz and atmospherics as guitars jangle and scratchy riffs waltz with heart melting melodies all while hazy lilting vocals cruise calmly above. 

A warm, charming and heartwarming slice of indie-pop brilliance – give it a spin below – the album (which is definitely worth a moment of your time) is here.

Elliott Mo – ‘Rest Here A Moment’

Elliott Mo is an Irish producer / electronic musician who introduced his wares in October last year with the stunning single ‘Oceans’, and Mo is back with the equally superb ‘Rest Here A Moment’.

While the previous single demonstrated a flair for dynamic dancefloor focused electronica, ‘Rest Here A Moment’ is a more chilled, meditative and ethereal affair. It is lush, woozy and wonderfully soothing slice of electronica that glides gracefully across dreamy surroundings and a soft tempo. Hazy textures swirl as lapping like sounds ripple below bright swells of synth and ebullient tone as we are lulled into soothing state of transfixed tranquility. It is beautiful, ethereal and dreamy – and one that will leave you all the better for making its acquaintance.

Listen to ‘Rest Here A Moment’ below – it does not disappoint:

Moon Paw Print – ‘Forever’

Irish producer Moon Paw Print crafts music for moonlit walks, dimmed rooms approaching midnight and for the moments that belong to the haze of a daydream.

Fresh from the release of marvelous debut Dreams of Ü – inspired by intensely vivid dreams experienced during lockdown it explores themes such as the nature of dreams; love, insecurities and seeking to find beauty in life – Moon Paw Print signed off on 2020 with ‘Forever’. A single of style and substance, ‘Forever’ is a lush, woozy and warm slice of hazy, spaced-out
daydream tranquility. Dusty beats patter beneath a warm blanket of glistening synths and lavish layers of lush electronics that whisk away to cosmic realms of tranquility and lullaby vibes. This aesthetic knows no bounds as it slinks and shuffles while gushing with warmth and melodic allure while peppered by heart melting trumpet to leave us in a state of pleasant bliss. ‘Forever’ is utterly divine – a sound to soothe the soul.

Listen to ‘Forever’ below now and you can listen to the debut album here too.


Sprints – ‘Manifesto’

Sprints are Dublin-based post-punk foursome – of Karla Chubb (vocals/guitar), Colm O’Reilly (guitar), Sam McCann (bass) and Jack Callan (drums) – who together, create a raw, raucous and potent post-punk sound – one bursting with a ferocious blend snarling vocals, driving rhythms, meaty riffs, swagger and noise.

These aforementioned attributes are offered in spades on their aptly titled latest single ‘Manifesto’, a tenacious statement of intent. An early taste of their forthcoming debut EP of the same name, due in the new year, it comes exploding out of the blocks. A powerful stomping beat underpinning an assertive and meaty bassline rumble as raspy, fierce and fiery vocals come to the for before soaring high above the explosion of buzzing guitar, scintillating riffs and crashing drums. It is a huge, explosive and supremely confident anthem. Previous single ‘The Cheek’ was great but ‘Manifesto’ sees them kick it up to another level entirely – a simply stunning tune.

Don’t just take my word for it, listen to ‘Manifesto’ below: