I’m en route to the Dutch city of Groningen for Eurosonic, the annual festival for showcasing fresh artists from all over Europe. Over the next four days the festival is hosting over 300 acts from 25 […]
Shane MacGowan beyond the Streams of Whiskey
When the National Concert Hall announced a 60th birthday tribute to Shane MacGowan, there was a collective wtf double-take that he’d managed to make it this far — and the same cliches were flying around […]
Irish gigs round-up
CELEBRATING DAVID BOWIE: Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Monday Dublin went headlong into a Bowie wormhole last week, with tribute shows, lectures, exhibitions and stage plays as part of the Dublin Bowie Festival, – but we’re not done just […]
‘Fame is a toxin’: Rare radio profile of Cleaners From Venus main man Martin Newell
It’s kind of annoying when people write ‘ICYMI’ and recycle posts you just scrolled past in the first place – but there’s a good chance you missed this profile and interview with Cleaners From Venus […]
More confounding electronics from ‘computer hooligans’ EVOL
Swedish label FLUF has started 2018 as you know they’ll go on – with another example of next-gen electronics, sound-designed to the nth degree. The label, run by producer tuuun, is populating Bandcamp with avant-garde […]
Serene ambience on The Black Dog’s Forgemasters: Shards Ov Light
Warp Records techno OGs The Black Dog have opened 2018 with their most serene ambient release yet – which has sadly turned into a sort of tribute to filmmaker Shaun Bloodworth, who died in hospital […]
A cult 80s DIY synth classic revived: Solid Space – Space Museum
This 1982 lo-fi minimal wave curio has just been hailed by bleep.com as the potential “reissue of the decade”. But ignoring the half-gram of coke up one nostril hyperbole, it’s another bullseye release from Dark […]
Irish gigs round-up
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 […]
Happy Mondays: Is it great when they’re straight?
A real hint that the Happy Mondays are finally maturing is their new set of promo shots — maybe their only half-sensible photos in three decades. The Mondays class of 2017 look like they’re extras […]
Moo Kid’s 2017 in 25 albums
This time last year we were begging for 2016 to hurry up and finish, oblivious to the cesspit round the corner. Luckily we have all these album lists to remind us of the year’s artistic […]
Bleep in heavenly peace: Can – Silent night (1976)
Christmas brings out the daftness in everyone — even if you’re a group of avant-garde experimentalists with a few free hours in the studio. Krautrock pioneers Can released the novelty single Silent Night in 1976 […]
Mark E Smith’s sensitive side on The Fall’s I’m Going To Spain (1993)
Mark E Smith in poignant song shocker! It’s not often the Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall veers down a heartfelt path, but in fairness, this one’s a cover. I’m Going To Spain is […]
The Warp Magic Tour Bus parks up in Dublin (2002)
A band of modern-day merry pranksters has rolled into Dublin – a busload of DJs and expert knob-twiddlers creating an alternative summer holiday soundtrack. After 100 releases, the Warp Record label is taking its Magic […]
Irish gigs round-up
King Krule, The Academy, Dublin, Wednesday. The title of King Krule’s latest album The Ooz could double as a one-word sum-up of the album as a whole — a slithering, nocturnal, nervy journey inside Londoner […]
Neil Hannon: Ireland’s most unlikely national treasure
E ven if Neil Hannon hadn’t released any albums in the last 20 years, he’d still be one of Ireland’s real cult heroes and national treasures. Hannon’s Divine Comedy may have lost their chart clout […]
Moo Kid 