At first this new track by ‘epic collage‘ artist Elysia Crampton may have you wincing at its contrary elements. The trap hi-hats, digital snake hiss, cartoon cackling and 8-bit boss level warning horns can clutter […]
What a way to make a living: KEN mode – Success
As a teenage metaller/grunger in the 90s, I’d get springboards to new music from T-shirts the kingpins of the day would wear in Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Hit Parader and Raw. Ah, there’s Kurt in a Tad T-shirt, […]
Lurking within tent: Cork Live at the Marquee preview
LIVE At the Marquee is marking 10 years of the Cork city festival, and looking back over the line-ups, we’re stumped to think of a more eclectic motley crew of acts anywhere. Since the event […]
Gigs round-up: June 12-18
TELEVISION, Academy, Dublin, tonight, & The Limelight, Belfast, Tomorrow New York’s Television were always on the more cerebral end of the punk spectrum. Their 1977 debut Marquee Moon is still held up as one of the defining records of […]
To Die for: Ghostface ft Raekwon – Let the Record Spin
I’m still feeling a bit short-changed over Wu-Tang’s headliner at Forbidden Fruit in Dublin last week — down a few bodies, cutting the set short and jumping into the back of the van with the cheques […]
A riot of our own: Vic Mensa – U Mad ft Kanye West (video)
Last year I saw Vic Mensa pull off a daft support slot in Dublin with Danny Brown – hip-hop cliche bingo every time he asked everybody to say ‘hell yeah’, split the crowd to see if left or […]
Gigs round-up: June 5-11
ASH, Whelan’s, Dublin, Sunday & Limelight, Belfast, Monday LET’S be honest, Ash were the biggest ringers on the Slane bill last week — standing out from the earnest dude-rock of Foo Fighters and Hozier’s sullen […]
Hard-core: Forbidden Fruit kicks off Irish festival season
When new festival Forbidden Fruit was announced for Ireland in 2011 many thought it was as crazy as it was brave. In the few years after the recession, the first belt hole to tighten was our […]
Gigs round-up: May 22-28
Fucked Up, Hangar, Dublin, tonight There’ll be tops off in Hangar tonight as Canadian hardcore act Fucked Up turn amps, heat and sweat up to 11. Led by grizzled livewire Damian Abraham — a cross between […]
Gigs round-up: May 15-21
VILLAGERS, Olympia, Dublin, Wednesday & Thursday IN AN interview a few weeks ago, Villagers’ Conor O’Brien told me there “won’t be many rock’n’roll moments” on the latest tour that hits Dublin this week. He was speaking just before the release of […]
Gigs round-up: May 8-14
JEROME HILL + DEFEKT, Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Friday Jerome Hill heads up the most raucous line-up of the weekend, taking his freewheeling rave spirit and cut-up mixing to Cork, meeting techno, electro, raw hip-hop and garage at a crossroads. The Bastardo Electrico promotion crew have also […]
It’s more fun to compute: Interview with Wolfgang Flür of Kraftwerk
TO most rock fans, the idea that Kraftwerk are more influential than the Beatles is more controversial than John Lennon’s claim that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus. But it’s an idea that’s losing its […]
The artist in residence: Jeff Mills interview
When techno first rewired the late 80s counterculture, few could’ve predicted the gradual shift from studios and basement clubs in Detroit, to art galleries and classical concert halls. Techno was more ‘other’ than Kraftwerk’s prophetic […]
‘You should hear it on big fuckin speakers’: Le Galaxie on new album Le Club
OF ALL the albums released this year, Le Galaxie’s new LP Le Club is the one you can judge by its cover. The sleeve is a shock of pink and sky blue, with flying cars, palm […]
Gigs round-up: April 24-30
FLYING LOTUS, Vicar Street, Dublin, Wednesday. Ever since the laptop became a viable tool for electronic musicians to create whole albums, there’s been a conflict between the complexities in the productions and its recreation live. There’s […]
Moo Kid 