Toronto act Fucked Up have transcended their hardcore punk roots without selling out in the slightest – on their 80-minute concept album Dose Your Dreams last year. Loosely, it’s a story of a factory worker […]
Enjoy the silence: Laibach ‘cover’ John Cage’s 4’33”
Mute Records has just announced a box set with 50 acts ‘performing’ John Cage’s infamous 1952 avant-garde composition 4’33” – which directs musicians not to play any instruments. It’s just the kind of high-concept piece […]
DJ Stingray is always the sound of the future
A key figure in the Detroit techno underground, Sherard Ingram aka Stingray has been DJing for over 25 years, as well as producing futuristic hyper-speed electro and conceptual ambient and downtempo works – the latter […]
Longform industrial dread on Vatican Shadow – Opium Crop Airstrikes
Musicians often talk about random flashes of inspiration, or ‘a sign’ – but Dominick Fernow was compelled into his latest Vatican Shadow project by a moment of almost supernatural gravity. After hearing of the serious […]
Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement’s Digital field ecologies
Dominick Fernow hits the jungle once more in his ritual ambient dub form as Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement – this time with a more ecological message than the usual voodoo undertones. He says it’s “a turning […]
‘Black medieval grind’ on this Prurient / Autoerotichrist split – Blizzard
January is bleak enough, without its soundtrack oozing from the mind of Dominick Fernow, the prolific New Yorker behind some of the most arresting productions of the last two decades – from dark, ritualistic ambience […]
Throwing darts in lovers’ eyes: David Bowie in 20 songs
The last time I checked there were 50-odd David Bowie compilations, and they’re piling up at an even greater rate since his death. But even as record companies pick at his bones releasing 200 quid […]
Planet Earth is blue: Dublin Bowie Fest returns
Now that it’s been three years since David Bowie’s death, festivals and tributes have become more of a celebration rather than the genuine loss felt in the direct aftermath. Like the passing of Prince a […]
‘Art is one of the vital things that makes us human’: Interview with Tony Wright (VerseChorusVerse)
The gift wrapping has been scrunched up into the recycling bin, the Christmas tree is hanging around like a hungover mate at a rollover party and you’re allergic scrolling through inspirational quotes and pictures of […]
Hibernate with Elizabeth Veldon’s 16-hour minimal drone piece, A Night In Winter
Elizabeth Veldon is a sound artist who works in “long form drone, minimalism and improvisation” according to her Bandcamp bio – and she’s taking the long form aspect to new levels in her latest project. […]
Get in there a day early – Open Ear jumps the gun on NYE
With much of the summer taken up by blockbuster festivals that simply hoover up all the biggest buzz bands to sell tickets, or a big race to the middle of road, Open Ear is a […]
Mango x Mathman’s last taps-aff rave of the year
Around a year ago I interviewed duo Mango x Mathman about the amazing 2017 they’d had — and they’ve only gone and doubled and tripled their efforts this year. From their usual festival shut-downs, to […]
Fontaines DC: Taking Liberties
Dublin punk act Fontaines DC started 2018 with an underground ‘ones to watch’ ripple, and ended the year with four brilliant EPs unapologetically rooted to their Liberties roots, cock-sure festival performances and support slots with […]
DENZEL CURRY: Punching up through SoundCloud
It seems odd that Florida hip-hop star Denzel Curry made his name as a figurehead in SoundCloud rap — with him crossing over into the relative mainstream with reviews and interviews on all the big […]
Gangsta rap revivalist YG keeping it Cocky
Compton gangsta rap revivalist YG did his bit for political discourse in 2016 with his anti-Trump hit-job FDT (you can guess what he did there), and his Still Brazy album was a narrative-driven deep listening […]
Moo Kid 