Author: Breffni Banks

Having released three beautiful, dream-like singles across the past year, A Ritual Sea will ​release their self-titled debut album on Friday 24th September 2021, through Parisian post-punk record label, Icy Cold Records.

Fans can watch the band perform a very special livestream at 8pm, Friday 24th September, featuring album tracks engineered by Girlband’s Daniel Fox at Sonic Studios. Broadcasting from their YouTube channel, tracks will include their latest single ‘Radiate’.

Kynsy, the solo project of the 23 year-old Irish multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Ciara Lindsey, today shares a brand new single and video, “Mr Nice Guy”.  The song is co-produced by Kynsy and James Dring (Gorillaz / Jamie T / Sorry) and sees Kynsy bring a swaggering, synth-drenched atmosphere to the detached nonchalance of her lyrics.

The accompanying video was directed by Dave Fox and Conor Donoghue.  

Talking about the new song and video, Kynsy says: “It’s a song about money and working and having one of those horrible bosses who tells you he’s trying to be ‘the nice guy’ while he goes through you outside on the street. It’s mostly based on an encounter I had in a waitressing job. I suppose there is a message in there about the power of empathy and kindness in how you deal with people.  The video echoes a lot of the themes in the song just pushed to an extreme level. Working with Dave and Conor we created a surreal world that’s really colourful but eerie at the same time. The master [me!] is on a constant power trip and forces her minions to endure some pretty awful treatment for her own gratification. To honour the positive message in the song we get to see how treating people like this will come back to bite you one way or another.  

“Mr Nice Guy” is the first new single from Kynsy since the release of her critically acclaimed debut EP, Things That Don’t Exist, released in January of this year. 

Kynsy has also announced a series of tour dates taking place this December with shows at Upstairs Whelan’s, Dublin on 9th December, Kasbah Social Club, Limerick on 10th December and Connolly’s of Leap, Cork on 11th December. She will perform her debut international live shows this November, with dates at the inaugural Pitchfork Music Festival London at The Roundhouse on Sunday 14th November and Pitchfork Festival Paris on 19th November.  Tickets for Irish dates go on sale Thursday 23rd September at 9am.

14th November – The Roundhouse, Pitchfork Music Festival London

18th November – The Social, Communion Presents Clubnight, London

19th November – Supersonic, Pitchfork Music Festival Paris

9th December – Upstairs At Whelan’s, Dublin, Ireland

10th December – Kasbah Social Club, Limerick, Ireland

11th December – Connolly’s of Leap, Cork, Ireland

Kynsy’s debut EP, Things That Don’t Exist, featured three standout singles.  A velvet-lined boxing-glove that delivered a sucker punch of a chorus, wry lyrics about fading chancers and their last grasp at relevance, “Cold Blue Light” was described by Dork as, “all at once understated and anthemic, a foreboding, end-of-the-world beast that channels youthful rage into something that’s both tragic and yet somehow uplifting”. The unwinding riff of “Happiness Isn’t a Fixed State” entangled itself around a jittery cut-up melody that fogged up with damp, heart-scorching melancholy. DIY called it “another instant mesmerising earworm from the rising multi-instrumentalist” and The Line of Best Fit added, “it’s indie rock that blends hyperactive energy with neo-noir sense of style.”  Remarking on the EP as a whole, The Quietus said,  “Although the debut EP from 23-year-old Ciara Lindsey only features four tracks, there’s more dextrous experimentation than a lot of young artists will achieve for years.”

Cementing her place as an artist on the cusp of a breakthrough 2021, NME included Kynsy in the NME 100 with “Happiness Isn’t A Fixed State” at number 1 in the NME 100 playlist, and Dork added her to their influential Hype List for the year while Nialler 9 included her as one of the best new acts of 2020. Annie Mac played “Happiness Isn’t A Fixed State” multiple times on BBC Radio 1, whereas both singles picked up plays from Jack Saunders. Further radio support came from Tom Robinson on BBC 6 Music and Across The Line on BBC Northern Ireland Introducing. In Europe KINK NL made “Happiness Isn’t A Fixed State” track of the week. Closer to home she secured radio support from 2fm, RTE Radio 1, Today FM, Nova, Cork 96 and more. Meanwhile Kynsy featured on the cover of Spotify playlists including Fresh Finds Rock, A Breath of Fresh Eire and An Alternative Eire as well as on the cover of Indie Britain on Tidal. Both singles were also included in Spotify’s New Music Friday UK alongside multiple other playlists. The Irish songwriter had previously been tipped in 2FM’s Rising 2020 list and Golden Plec’s 2020 Picks.

For more information on Kynsy:

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Cork New Wave artist, Beyond the Wash has returned with a sparkling new pop track called ‘Min/us’. The single marks a significant move towards a larger palette of electronic sounds, as lockdown forced the songwriter away from the larger ensembles of his previous outing on 2019’s ‘Murmurings’ EP.

With production input from Cian Sweeney (1000 Beasts), and long-term collaborator Christian Best (Mick Flannery), the result is a focused rhythm- driven single, with trademark chimed guitars and a steely vocal atop layers of synths. R&B pop singer Meghan Murray also returns with a Wendy & Lisa-esque feature.

Known for poignant visuals, BTW accompanies the track with photographs from a private installation. These were mapped out by BTW and fellow creatives, photographer Aleksandra Schmidt and visual artist Andrea Williams, and tell the song’s story of mistaken identity, the realisation of entrapment, and the ‘mine versus us’ frame of thinking. Ultimately, the length one goes to ‘minus’ their thoughts.

Speaking on the single, the human behind Beyond the Wash, Patrick O’Donnell says -“Thematically, ‘Min/us’ reflects a mind consumed by resentment, harnessing a petty, callous and ego-driven mindset. The unflattering side of consciousness…that is most certainly there, but seldom spoken aloud – it scratches away at the darker side of thoughts … can one have too much empathy? And does this leave one stuck outside the present.”

Although it may feel like BTW is a relatively new act on the Irish scene, many highlights have already been packed into the first 2 years of the outfit’s lifespan, including the release of debut EP, ‘Murmurings’, widespread media acclaim, national radio play, a nomination for Best Irish Music Video at the London Irish Film Festival (2019), and live appearances at Ireland Music Week and Liverpool Irish Festival (2020).

The single marks the first step in the artist’s sophomore set of releases, with a follow up expected in December.

‘Min/us’ will be available on September 24th across all major streaming platforms.

Hotly-tipped Dublin duo HAWKE THE BAND will release their brand new single “Limo” across all major digital platforms on 24^th September 2021.

Formed by best friends Richie Power (vocals/keyboards) and Eoghan Mac Mahon (vocals/guitar) in the shadow of Dublin’s world-famous Guinness Brewery, “Limo” is a firecracker of a tune from start to finish and the latest in a run of great singles released by HAWKE THE BAND this year.

The follow-up to this year’s trio of ace singles, “Gonna Be Alright”, “Pinch Me (Am I Dreaming?)” and “Molly”, “Limo” was written in the back of a banged-up taxi and sees the now London-based pair reflect on their higher aspirations, not in the gutter but definitely looking at the stars.  The track was recorded between London & Dublin and produced by Conor McLaughlin (of similarly-tipped new Irish act Sick Love), ably assisted by the highly-regarded D. Cullen (Boo Hewerdine, The Bible).

“Limo” is the first track issued by the band to plant their flag firmly in Alt-J territory, also drawing sonically on Richie & Eoghan’s love of rousing 90s indie-rock (especially The Verve, Oasis and Radiohead) as well as fellow countrymen U2.  The song is inspired by a true tale of car trouble following an evening partying in London with legendary British actor Ray Winstone, as Eoghan explains;

“The first time we met Ray Winstone was also the first time we ever got near a limo – Ray was a true gent, a top lad.  We had all attended an event at the London Hilton and, after a great night of partying we eventually left.  Or at least we thought we were leaving, because we got stuck at the Hilton underground car park’s sole exit barrier in our €400 battered Irish Ford Focus.  Six limos & their drivers stuck behind us were apoplectic and, after ten more minutes passed without us moving, they were going totally nuclear.  STRESS.  We didn’t have the money between us to pay the outrageous £50 parking fee as we were skint – it was a charity event so we hadn’t even charged a performance fee for our live set at the event. Next thing, some sheikh whose limo was right behind us jammed his head in our car window and screamed blue murder at us to pay up so he could leave. We told him we hadn’t a pot to pi*s in for the tenth time so he fired a £50 note at us and roared all the way back to his car.  Thankfully our engine didn’t give out and we got on the A5 back to our ex-Travelodge in Dunstable for another night with five sleeping in a one-bedded room.  A night to remember for sure, and I’ll never forgot my first up-close limo experience.  We hope this song was worth it – perhaps if this single blows up big we might even be able to afford our very own limo (or even just some parking change).”

Once again, Richie & Eoghan’s new single is accompanied by a great video clip, filmed by Richie’s college friend & former housemate (“and cocktail dealer!”) Grace Philips. Talking about the video clip she directed, Grace says; “Having lived with the guys in the past, we all know each other so well. On set we’re comfortable straight away so we’re able to get the job done with really straightforward communication and lots of fun – we’re not living together anymore, so no more fights about dishes.”

“This video was recorded in precisely two hours on the sweatiest day of this year in a London warehouse,” adds Eoghan. “By the end I was absolutely drenched in sweat – nearly had to mop it off the floor, though that might also be my fault for not exercising in five years. “The warehouse where we filmed the video had CC-TV cameras that frightened the sh*te out of me when they swivelled towards me as I fiddled with the hi-fi system. The owners, lovely though they were, had said the hi-fi was loud enough for us to record drums along to – turns out it was nice gear, but clearly from the Stone Age and definitely nowhere near loud enough.”

HAWKE THE BAND are currently finalising a very special Dublin hometown gig (more details soon), but are very pleased to confirm a handful of new UK live dates for late 2021, including a new London show as special guests of Bedford born indie-rocker Elijah Miller – they play;

26 September                   Hull O’Riley’s (18+)

15 October                        Newcastle Surf Café (14+)

16 October                        Manchester Tribeca (14+)

21 October                        London Luna Lounge (18+)

10 December                    London – The Grace (with Elijah Miller)

Tickets on-sale now via https://www.hawketheband.com/tickets

After recording initial home demos in Richie’s bedroom, HAWKE THE BAND hit upon the idea of sending their demo-tape to a hit-list of the industry’s top producers.  Within just days, the cunning plan paid off and Richie & Eoghan found themselves recording their newly-written songs during precious studio time at London’s legendary Abbey Road and Metropolis Studios.

One of the tracks from these initial London recording sessions (“What About Love”) was entered into a competition to win the chance to play as special guests of local heroes Aslan at Dublin’s 5,000 capacity Iveagh Gardens, a prize which Richie & Eoghan were astonished to win, despite there being 500+ entries from hopeful acts.  Following in the footsteps of previous Aslan openers such as Gavin James and Damien Dempsey, playing to a packed hometown audience in late 2019, with Aslan frontman Christy Dignam even describing the boys in print as, “The next big thing.”

Richie & Eoghan followed that huge local show with a raft of UK summer festival slots, on bills alongside other young breakout acts such as Jake Bugg and Tom Grennan, before Covid-19 put an abrupt halt to live performances last year. But HAWKE THE BAND used their lockdown time wisely, spending much of 2020 furiously writing and recording songs which have now blossomed into the abundance of great singles already released by the fellas this year.

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Dublin-based Kilkenny-born indie pop artist Cat Dowling presents her new single ‘Animals’, a song of movement, sensuality, wildness, love and freedom. A song about that beautiful part inside the human make-up that can’t ever and should never be tamed.

Dowling has also announced that her new 11-track long-player, to be released via Forever In Financial Arrears Records (FIFA Records) on November 12th, will also be called ‘Animals’.

This single comes on the trail of two singles, the latest of which is ‘Freedom’, a lush slice of soulful pop perfection for which Dowling worked with film-maker Alba Lahoz, featuring her three free-spirited children doing their thing on the beach. The video for the earlier single, ‘Trouble’, made by BAFTA award-winning director Fergal Costello, tells the story of a dark, comedic and violent tale set outside of 1981 Belfast.

“I wrote Animals during a busy period of my life when to find those rare moments to write music meant I had to be a thief elsewhere. But it was these stolen moments that gave me oxygen and a beautiful almost supernatural energy,” says Cat Dowling.

‘Animals’ was written when everyone was sleeping. It started with the driving repetitive rhythm which had to be restrained so as not to wake a soul. It thus became hypnotic.  It starts as minor and ends up major. It’s about the major and minor of life and of love and the constant pull in everything between major and minor and the light and the dark. It’s a song ultimately of passion, wildness, sensuality and love.”

Lauded as one of the most wonderful and evocative vocalists in Irish contemporary music, Cat Dowling’s beautifully dark pop songs and those husky and achingly intimate vocals will grip you from the outset. The former Babelfish and Alphastates frontwoman creates well-crafted songs that inspire.

Produced by Gerry Horan with Dowling as co-producer, and mixed by Ger McDonnell (The Cure, U2, Van Morrison, Martha Wainwright, Shane McGowan, Sinead O’Connor), Dowling’s latest output was partially recorded at Crossroads Studio in Kilkenny with support from Ireland’s Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media.

In 2013, Dowling debuted with ‘The Believer’ LP, ranked in numerous ‘Best of Year’ music polls, including The Sunday Times. The title track featured in the second series of ‘Banshee’, produced by Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, American Beauty, True Blood) and the ‘Witches of East End’ TV series, featuring Julia Ormond. The song ‘Somebody Else’ was also used in ‘My name is Emily’. Cat has also lent vocals on many collaborative projects, including for ABC’s ‘How To Get Away With Murder’ with Emmy-winning actress Viola Davis.

FIFA Records is a steadily expanding label, who have continuously worked with exciting new Irish talent (Fight Like Apes, One Morning in August, Klubber Lang, Hope is Noise, Dae Kim, Lorraine Nash), as well as releasing material from more established names on the Irish indie scene, such as The Frank & Walters, Emperor of Ice Cream, August Wells, Power of Dreams and Whipping Boy.

‘Animals’ is out now everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. As of November 12, fans can expect the release of the full ‘Animals’ album digitally, as well as on CD and limited-edition cassette.

Amy Ellen’s eagerly awaited debut EP ‘Only You Will Know’ is set to be released on the 29th of September. It is a compilation of Ellen’s previous singles plus a bonus title track.

On making the EP, Amy says:
“These songs represent a time in my life when I was finding my sound as an artist. I believed each track deserved attention, it made sense to release them as singles as I wanted to give them an extra push before releasing them as the EP.”

Blending influences from Kurt Vile and Mazzy Star, the bonus track sums up the sound of Amy’s previous singles, reflecting her folk roots and her musical influences.

“It was so exciting to see the parts come together’’ says Amy, “the instrumentation became the driving force and we naturally wanted to keep the vibe of the song going. That explains the length of the track!”

‘Only You Will Know’ will be available to stream on Spotify and all other major streaming platforms from 29th of September.

Social Links:

Instagram: instagram.com/amyellenmusic 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Amyellenmusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyellenmusic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DYLtNL-ZkQ

TikTok: @amyellenmusic

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2FFNCL0MdE9cOyoD6O7OPE?si=itfYL5fdQousdpFCWzS2Hw&dl_branch=1

Emerging with his second release off his upcoming debut album, Cork based singer-songwriter, Podge Lane invites us all to join he ‘The Party’. Following on from his first single of 2021, the raucous ode to anger ‘Reasons To Scream’, Lane provides another strikingly honest hit in ‘The Party’.

Yielding stylings of folk and country mixed with indie recordings, Lane contrasts his seemingly upbeat instrumentation against painfully candid lyricism: “I don’t wanna go to the party, I guess I never really did. It was just easier in hindsight, I just hated everything.” Lane opens the door for the person who isn’t sure why they came to the party in the first place, and asks, what is it that’s making you stay?

Delving into the cacophonic muddle of instrumentation, Lane establishes a dizzying carnival soundscape. Against the piercing harmonica trills and trudging kick drum, the varied musical arrangement moves seamlessly throughout plucked mandolin and surging organ hits. When talking about the song, Lane admits ,”I don’t think it’s a bold statement to say that everyone has been at a party that they didn’t want to be at. But it’s fun to figure out, “is it my fault that the party sucks?” It’s always good to self-examine, plus I love making a fool of myself.”

Following on from the success of ‘Reasons To Scream’ receiving radio play within Ireland, the UK and US, being added to multiple playlists across Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music, Lane continues to be notarised for his motley of musical stylings and intimate manner of writing. From his live improv EP, ‘Making It Up As I Go Along Part 1’, and his country and folk leanings of 2020’s ‘Don’t Take It From Me’ and ‘Weak Beneath the Knees EP’, 2018 Irish Post Indie Artists Of The Year Nominee continues to explore and expand upon his sound through ‘The Party’. This single shows Lane’s ability to develop within his own musical techniques, while also taking inspiration from his broad musical influences from Bob Dylan and The Felice Brothers to Fiona Apple and Kevin Morby.

Lane’s debut album is set to be released later in November, 2021 and ‘The Party’ is out on Friday September 24th.

ZOiD is the brainchild of electronic and jazz musician, Daniel Jacobson, a stalwart of the Dublin electronic scene who is set to release an album titled ZONGS in 2022. Dipping into the waters of soul and funk, ‘Wish You’ is a 909-driven track, featuring Nigerian-Irish vocalist Esosa Ighodaro O’Brien, with saxophone from Chris Engel.

From his earliest influences from labels such as Warp, Rephlex, Underground Resistance and Dublin’s D1 producers Donnacha Costello and Rob Rowland, ZOiD’s fertile musical imagination was inspired by techno before evolving to incorporate and write tracks that amalgamated several genres into a populated musical petri dish of new ideas and innovation.

Collaboration has featured strongly during this musical journey, both with fellow artists and various record labels, including Diatribe/D1, Meljoann’s Boy Scout Audio, Front End Synthetics and Dan Curtin’s Metamorphic Records. Over the last year alone, he has worked with several female vocalists (Esosa, Aoife Doyle, SEO, Jenna Harris and others) in developing the new ZOiD repertoire which has been getting warmly received on Irish radio.

Also in the works is a 4-track vinyl EP titled Dexaphonic EP on Metamorphic Records and a 7-track album featuring a String Quartet led by Cora Venus Lunny with four different vocalists – Meljoann, Suzanne Savage, Inni-K and Miriam Ingram. ZOiD collaborated with each vocalist to create the songs (funded by First Music Contact through the Music Industry Stimulus Package), with the String Quartet recorded at Les Keye’s Arad Studios.

Of the track ‘Wish You’, ZOID says: “I’d worked with Esosa before and wanted to write something to feature her soulful voice, with 909 techno beats. The track is a fictional story about the relationship between the singer and her friend, who has decided to leave the small/town country they live in and go abroad looking for fame and fortune. She has mixed feelings about this but in the end wishes him well. In the video the friend is portrayed by the robot puppet Z.I.M.M.Y. (Zoidonian Intelligent Music Making cYborg).”

There is a sense of mischievous playfulness that underpins ZOiD’s music, belying some intricate arrangements and clever songwriting that form the foundations of the new material. From early techno leanings, ZOiD’s musical compass has also been steered by artists as varied as Burt Bacharach and Aphex Twin, ensuring a rich artistic palette from which 2021’s releases have drawn upon.

“I write a LOT, every day, I churn out ideas constantly, and most of them don’t go anywhere, but some of them make it through to become songs. I’ve been productive over the past 2 years so I have 4 albums worth of music that needs finishing . . . “ Welcome to the world of ZOiD!

‘Wish You’ is out Friday September 24th.

Emerging Irish Rapper Paro Pablo is set to release his new single ‘Obey’, which features Slick Bullet, this Friday September 24th.

Paro Pablo is a working class hip-hop artist from Finglas on the Northside of Dublin. In the early days Pablo was the frontman of two bands D’n’D & Low Profile, where he learned his trade enjoying moderate success in a time where Irish hip hop simply wasn’t ‘acceptable’ . After a couple of tours, sold out shows and major support slots for acts such as Aslan, Hoodie Allen and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, he decided to hang up the mic in 2014. Writing was always an escape mechanism for Pablo, so 2019 would be the year he decided to dust off the mic.

The Irish music scene had changed for the better -“Irish rappers” were now playing main stages at big festivals. In June 2019 he decided to record a feature on Rem3dys track “4Life” which also featured fellow Finglas narrator Dubzeno. The track was an instant hit on national radio with RTE 2fm playlisting the song. In December he released his Debut EP “Never Known Love” which again was received well across national radio along with a sold out launch night in The Grand Social.In January 2020, Pablo dropped an 8 minute freestyle for 2FM’s “freestyle series” with Dj Mo K, which really showed his ability to rhyme. He is held in high regard within the scene, sometimes being referred to as “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper”.

He writes songs from the soul to let people know they are not victims, they are survivors, but he is also capable of producing a club banger which he showcased on the track with “Tell Me” with Irish house prodigy RobbieG and Irish model Irena Drezi.He is currently working on his debut album which is due for release in 2022.

Slick Bullet (SB), real name Samuel Edward, is a Nigerian born, Irish and UK-based Afro Swing / Bashment/ Hip Hop rapper and Singer/Songwriter, also affiliated with different kinds of genres. Throughout his music career, he has opened for a lot of big international acts such as Giggs, Tinchy Stryda, Tyga and many more. Slick Bullet’s debut ep charted number 1 on iTunes album charts within the first week of release in 2020.

‘Obey’ is an upbeat song about a relationship that didn’t go as planned but has a hint of there still being a chemistry.  Completely left field for Paro Pablo as his style of rap is usually based on hard hitting lyricism. This track is more up Slick Bullet’s street as he likes to genre hop and makes it look easy. The song is produced by young Cork sensation Sesh Nolan who has over 6 million views on his Tik Tok account for his production.

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Loah is Sallay Matu Garnett, an artist of Irish / Sierra Leonean origin who grew up between Maynooth and West Africa. During the pandemic, she returned to her old vocation as a pharmacist to work on the frontline, and still continued to contribute culturally, most recently co-presenting the primetime RTE show The Heart of Saturday Night with Úna Healy.

This Sunday 26^th September, Loah will share “When I Rise Up”, an EP of poetry from the 1920s set to music, created in direct response to our unique global situation.

Taking an international approach to this project, Loah chose works by several poets who originate in Ireland, the United States, and Sierra Leone. The 7 track collection features works by poets Langston Hughes [USA], Georgia Douglas Johnson [USA], Gladys Casely-Hayford [Sierra Leone], Eva Gore Booth [Ireland], W.B. Yeats [Ireland], and Katharine Tynan [Ireland], on compositions centred on voice, acoustic guitar and piano, reflecting the continuity of folk storytelling throughout the ages.

The 1920s were, much as we are experiencing now, a time of great challenge and change internationally. In Ireland the Rising had shaken the foundations of our nation, leading to the War of Independence. The Women’s Suffrage Movement was beginning to see its parliamentary goals achieved globally. Stateside, the Harlem renaissance was setting the tone for a century of African-American intellectual emancipation and self-expression, with its genesis in the literary arts. This decade truly presented a zenith of post-war hope and aspiration, before the Great Depression of the 30s. This is represented powerfully in the writings of the time.

The differences and parallels of where we are a century later set the tone for this song cycle series. The poets chosen were very much writing from the lived experience of these great, existential travails, and much solace can be taken today from their elegant processing of and reflections upon the complexities their people were facing.

“While the poets I’ve chosen worked and published extensively throughout many decades, I chose to centre the series on works specifically published during the 1920s, with two exceptions. Taking the form of the folk song to bring the poems alive connects the past to the present in this most ancient means of storytelling, and certainly brings them alive for me personally.”

‘When I Rise Up’ EP will be available on all digital platforms Sunday 26th September 2021. Pre-save the EP at https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/loah1/when-i-rise-up-ep

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