POSTS TAGGED : Irish

Imploded View – ‘Don’t Know What To Call This Feeling’

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Irish producer Imploded View (aka Jerome McCormick) – and mores the pity.

A longtime favourite around these parts, whether bestowing elegantly sculpted downtempo soundscapes or buoyant electro, the Longford-based producer never disappoints. In keeping with tradition Imploded View has come bouncing back into our lives with a lavish slice of the latter in the shape of ‘Don’t Know What To Call This Feeling’. Built around a funky synth and bass, the allure of the groove runs deep to the core as catchy hooks, warm shimmers of synth and cascading frazzled electronics illuminate a path for this funk-filled strut. Amid the bright and bouncy jaunty air, a pang of unease emerges through a wining string line grounds us an the hushed vocals from McCormick which offer introspective exploration marked by a raw and redemptive tone. A marvelous tune, musically and thematically. Welcome back!

Check out ‘Don’t Know What To Call This Feeling’ below and it’s worth mentioning that much of the video was actually shot by McCormick’s six-year-old daughter. Enjoy!


City Victim – ‘Screaming’

City Victim are an Irish alt-rock band currently based out of Galway who since forming in early 2019, spent the year drip feeding singles – four in fact – and they are kicking off 2020 with their best release to date; ‘Screaming’. 

‘Screaming’ echoes the style of previous but sees a further evolution of their sound. While channelling classic post-punk influences – Television, Wire and The Cure – combined with more contemporary bands such as Interpol and Beach Fossils, the single is fleshed into a bold and peerless bout of slowburning aggression that thrives on the darker side of post punk. Amid the intensity, ‘Screaming’ is a real groover as it swaggers along driving, meaty basslines with layers of shimmering guitars keeping pace with the burrowing rhythm as hushed yet passionate vocals float stridently above. It is a huge tune, and one that wields a mighty power, and is utterly brilliant.

Listen to ‘Screaming’ below. City Victim will hit the road in February / March for a tour with the great Eoin Dolan, Dylan Murph and Sheepy – dates below.

01/02 Craft Taproom, Liverpool
02/02 Stamps (Crosby)
21/02 Pharmacia, Limerick
12/03 Roisin Dubh, Galway
13/03 Sin E, Dublin

Silverbacks – ‘Sirens’

Dublin-based post-punk outfit Silverbacks continue their propensity for brilliance with new single ‘Sirens’ – something we’ve become accustomed to with a steady stream of singles over the past few years.

While we still await their debut album (rumoured to be primed for release next year) any new material from Silverbacks is most welcome indeed and with ‘Sirens’, they are signing off 2019 in some style. Silverbacks have once again teamed up with Girl Band’s Daniel Fox who also produced ‘Dunkirk’, ‘Just In The Band’ and ‘Pink Tide’ and is every bit as brilliant as the other tracks, and is probably their most irresistible single yet. Built around a propulsive bass-line, kinetic rhythms and barrage of razor-edged guitars that all coalesce to one united tight interlocked groove; ‘Sirens’ is phenomenal. It unleashes a relentless energy as it hits the sweet spot between melodic repetition, pent up aggression and danceable infectiousness, like an LCD groove hanging out with the jerky art-rock infection of Futureheads, as Daniel O’Kelly’s vocals reflect as such, fluctuating from focused to distraction. A simply stunning single, and one their best yet – hopefully the debut album is with us sooner rather than later.

Listen to ‘Sirens’ below:

Also, people of Derry, Silverbacks are in town to play the Nerve Centre on December 13.

HAVVK – ’52’


Formidable Irish outfit HAVVK will release their debut album Cause & Effect on November 22 and the alt-rock trio have been upping anticipation with a slew of scintillating singles – ‘Always The Same’, ‘Birds On A Wire’ and ‘Shifting Shape’ – and HAVVK have added another to the fold.

Written while living in London, new single ‘52’ exudes an ominous and tense atmosphere, reflecting the divisive nature of the Brexit campaign, as HAVVK attempt to make sense of the darkness and find a way through.
Front woman Julie Hawk’s distinctively impassioned vocal take centre stage, soaring majestically over the ethereal alt-rock backdrop before packing a punch as the chorus sets in, mirroring the anger for the situation at hand. It is raw and filled with anger, it is a song laced with ethereal beauty and finds a space where harsh and gentle can coexist. ’52’ is yet another majestic reason to look forward to the HAVVK’s forthcoming debut LP.

Listen to ’52’ below & HAVVK will be launching Cause and Effect on 6 December 2019 at the Bello Bar in Dublin.

Simple Kid shares new tracks: ‘The Last Bus Home’ & ‘Lost in Space’

Longstanding patrons will be aware of my adoration for Simple Kid, albeit not offering many opportunities to display it regularly.

The London-based Irish artist (aka Ciaran McFeely) released two brilliant albums in the mid 00s – SK1 in 2003 and SK2 in 2006 – before entering a prolonged period of musical hibernation, disappearing off the radar, only to reappear briefly here and there with ‘The Road’ in 2011, ‘Snakes and Ladders’ in 2014 and ‘Because’ late in 2018.

However, since the latter, his YouTube account has seen something of a flurry of activity and uploads including ‘The Last Bus Home’ & ‘Lost in Space’; which coincidentally are (IMO) the pick of the new material.

‘The Last Bus Home’ is a deliciously infectious and richly melodic blend of folky indie, with country and Americana brushstrokes. A gentle acoustic strum, hand claps and harmonica coalesce in perfect harmony, with warm vocals completing the loveable, swelling, heartfelt allure. ‘Lost in Space’ is the more complex of the pair as lush layers of psych-tones, spacey sounds and cosmic textures swell and swirl to engulf the delicious piano-led melody. Mining brilliant streams of melody and heavenly harmonies it is a roving, hazy and cosmic adventure that swells to beautifully epic climax. With its gorgeous melody, irresistible chorus, blend of guitar and frazzled electronics, and swelling emotion, ‘Lost in Space’ is not easily forgotten. Two differing (but equally stunning) sides to the talents of Simple Kid bound together by an undisputed ear for melody.

While not discounting something more substantial in the future, for now Simple Kid is enjoying crafting new songs in his loft – fingers crossed this fruitful period continues to blossom.

Listen to both ‘The Last Bus Home’ & ‘Lost in Space’ below, and you can listen to the man himself chatting to Dan Hegarty here.

And credit where credit is due: H/T to Dan Hegarty’s ‘The Alternative’ on 2FM & John Barker’s ‘Totally Irish’ on 98FM.

Mani Bazaar – ‘Dead’

Mani Bazaar is a musician, singer & songwriter from Ireland with a preference for ethereal goth-infused dream-pop.

It’s not often that a debut single delights, excites and enthrals as much as this but with ‘Dead’, Mani Bazaar has utterly bewitched with this alluring piece of dreamy pop perfection. ‘Dead’ slowly unfurls, washing over you with an ease and breeze as each passing moment reveals itself blissfully surreal, immersive and idyllic. Synths shimmer, guitars glisten and soft beats trickle beneath a cascading wave of warm electronics. It is a lush blend of ethereal, exquisite and heavenly electronica, a suitably beautiful backdrop for the heavenly, hushed and lullaby-esque vocals. ‘Dead’ is transfixing, heavenly electronica; an exquisite beauty tempered by subtle senses of the eerie while building gently to a bout of mild euphoria.

Tune into the blissful sounds of ‘Dead’ below – you will not be disappointed.

Introducing: I Drew Blank

I Drew Blank are Berlin-based outfit comprised of bassist & singer Oyèmi Hessou (Jaguwar), guitarist & singer Dominik Jureschko (White Hand Gibbon) and drummer Eilis Frawley (Party Fears).

Together the trio deliver a special blend of lo-fi fuzzy slacker garage-pop that melodically drifts between early ’90s and west coast vibes – something born out on their addictive new EP; Interesting Life Choices.

While primarily the music is easy on the ear and seemingly carefree, as songs slide by with an effortless ease and general breeze. On repeated listens however, much more bite and greater thematic depth is revealed; dark thoughts and failed relationships meet escapism and reflection over five tracks. This dizzying encounter opens with ‘No Promises Were Made’ which could serve as the archetypal blueprint for the band’s sound. Pumped with meaty riffs, heavy driving bass lines and sappy snare kick combos ‘No Promises Were Made’ has no shortage of bite and punk grunt or melodic pop allure for that matter, provided by the dreamy riffs, sweet licks and hooks. The vocals are passionate, melodic and dance in the remaining space provided in the mild haze of warm fuzz and distortion. Elsewhere ‘What We Need Is Time’ is even more more infectious as it breezes by with an abundance of heavenly harmonies while ‘It’s Winter, It’s Warsaw’ is less breezy, more gallop as it hurtles along a dancey groove with jerky riffs, cowbell and interlocking harmony rich vocals.

This is a dazzling fuzz-filled display of lo-fi, garage-indebted indie-pop. On the right side of infectious and grit, it is a tonic to the overly-polished and ekes out a perfect space on the musical landscape.

Tune into some choice cuts below and the EP can be found here.

Orla – ‘Breathe’

Orla is an 18 year old Irish musician and producer from Co Meath who has a preference for dreamy, elegant and atmospheric sounds; flashed with exquisite finesse on her debut single ‘dream’.

With new single ‘Breathe’, Orla sticks to this familiar formula for ambient, atmospheric and downtempo sounds. ‘Breathe’ is an elegant, shimmering delight with bags of charm. Striking a delicate and subtle balance between electronic elements with organic instrumentation as lush flowing synths, jovial beat and chiming guitar converge with an entrancing bass line. Subtle and unassuming, warm and alluring, dreamy and intoxicating; ‘Breathe’ will make an indelible mark your soul, and leave you all the better for it.

Listen to ‘Breathe’ and it’s shimmering majesty below:

Brí – ‘Low Supply’

Brí is a Dublin-based musician and singer-songwriter from Offaly.

Drawing from a deep well of folk influences ranging from Birdy, Laura Marling, Lisa Hannigan and Gabrielle Aplin, along with subtle touches of psychedelia and electronica, Brí crafts her own unique brand of beautiful, expansive, fragile and experimental psych-folk It is something born out on exquisite new single ‘Low Supply’, and aided and abetted by producer Darragh Nolan of Asta Kalapa studios and guitarist Aidan Mulloy, it is a perfect introduction to Brí.

‘Low Supply’ is a languid psych-folk daydreamer that whisks us away on a lush meditative journey. Swirling layers of vocal harmony gently unfurl an essence of pastoral warmth as it meanders along a soft beat, splashes of subtle electronics and rhythmic psych undulations. It is a mesmeric canvas for Brí’s bewitching atmospheric tones to transfix the listener entirely. An elegant, awe-inspiring and charming blend of shimmering pastoral psych-folk; it is a hazy, soothing and altogether wonderful song.

To celebrate the single’s release, Brí plays Whelan’s Upstairs, in Dublin on Tuesday. June 11. For further details / tickets etc. click here

In the meantime, you can listen to ‘Low Supply’ below.


Sorcha Richardson – ‘Don’t Talk About It’


Photo by Cáit Fahey

NYC-based Irish artist Sorcha Richardson will release her long-awaited and much anticipated debut album First Prize Bravery in the Autumn.

This great news is heralded by a charming new single ‘Don’t Talk About It’. Sweet, charming and infectious, it skips along a jovial rhythm as Richardson’s lush vocals are accompanied by jagged guitars, sweeping synths and warm textures, creating – musically at least – a sweet, idyllic and nostalgic vibe. Lyrically however, it is a song about avoiding conflict and trying to keep the peace, no matter how much you end up sacrificing in order to do so. Richardson’s approach on ‘Don’t Talk About It’ is somewhat more expansive, it remains an intimate and moving experience. Richardson’s work to date was enough to mark out her debut as one to look out for but with ‘Don’t Talk About It’, it has upped the ante.

Listen to ‘Don’t Talk About It’ below: