LOAH: Roisn Dubh, Galway, Sunday
Dublin-based singer Loah returns to Ireland after her first London show last night — with added ruckus from Limerick hip-hop crew Rusangano Family.
Her new video for the track Nothing off her debut EP This Heart EP is a high-production complement to a sound she calls ‘ArtSoul’ — hi-def soul music that nods to Sade and 90s trip-hop. Loah’s music sheds light on her upbringing between Ireland and Sierra Leone, flitting between loose acid jazz inflections and aching chamber music.
MR SCRUFF, The Sugar Club, Dublin, tonight & tomorrow
Mr Scruff is for life, not just Christmas, but he’s made a habit of playing festive gigs in Ireland the last few years.
The Manchester DJ is double-dropping with Dublin gigs this time, and there’s every chance he won’t repeat a single record tonight and tomorrow.
The crate-digger makes a sport of staying eclectic, from hip-hop and breaks to house, techno and electro. He’s even remixed minimalist composer Steve Reich recently, so I wouldn’t put it past him to drop some of that.
RUSANGANO FAMILY, Dolans Warehouse, Limerick, Thursday
Just back from a gig in London with Loah, Limerick’s finest hip-hop export Rusangano family are bringing the ruckus for a balls-out home run.
There’s not much more to reveal about the trio, as they’ve been consistently praised over the last few years for their live gigs, from clubs, theatres and festivals all over the island, showcasing their Choice Music Prize-winning debut album Let The Dead Bury the Dead.
God Knows and MuRli are first generation immigrants from Zimbabwe and Togo, and their lyrics deal with identity crisis and equality while keeping the narrative personal, without soapbox preaching.
Mynameisjohn’s production isn’t just a background to the pair’s scattershot rhymes — veering between searing funk, ragga, soul and Afrobeat.
Moo Kid 