Author: Breffni Banks

D. Cullen moves into summer mode with ‘Heartline’, an upbeat melodic ray of sunshine that melds the 1970s, 1980s and 2020s in a Tom Petty meets Elvis Costello meets Taylor Swift fashion.

It tells a tale of 2 people losing the run of themselves and intertwining for a vaguely remembered night even though they realise it’s not the smartest idea in the world.

“This song is one of my favourite things I’ve ever done sonically. It started in Saltwell Studios, in Cambridgeshire, England with me playing acoustic guitar & singing before adding mountains of electric guitars on top of the track. Boo Hewerdine played an amazing bass part, Chris Pepper contributed some glorious drums, I added some droning Harmonium and Motown-y tambourines and we called it a day!

“In the second session, over lockdown, Sinead McConville added her luscious backing vocals to the track before Roger Bechirian went to town and added the Piano, Hand Claps and, my favourite bit of the whole song, the Organ.”

dcullenmusic.com

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Alt-pop act Saige launched onto the Irish music scene in 2020, and despite just a few months and 4 singles under her belt (‘Soothe Me’, ‘Ultraviolence’, ‘Late Nights’, ‘Mama’) Saige has already established herself as a force to be reckoned with within the industry. Hailing from Co. Wexford, the singer/songwriter studied in BIMM and cut her teeth gigging Dublin’s music circuit while developing her unique sound. Juxtaposing rich, textural vocals with dreamy soundscapes, Saige’s sound is reminiscent of an artistic maturity far beyond her years; capturing a sound that feels both modern and classic. Tipped to be “the next big voice to come out of Ireland” (Notion Magazine), “Hot for 2021” (Hotpress Magazine) and an EP release later this year, Saige plans to make her mark in 2021.

‘What Should I Write’ is Saige’s 5th single, out 21st May, taken from her upcoming debut EP. “The track was actually written a few years ago, almost as a ‘thank you and goodbye’ to an ex as he packed up his stuff to leave in the next room. We’d both changed as people and the line ‘What should I write so you’ll stay’ was the first line I wrote, referring to the person I’d once known. The song looks back contently so I wouldn’t say it’s a breakup song, but more so a fond look back on a closing chapter.”

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‘The Unsolicited Dance’ is the second original album by Neo-Trad Folk band, Strings & Things.

The album was written and composed over the course of a three year period and consists of 12 original tracks that vastly vary from one another in tonality, tempo and style.

‘The Unsolicited Dance’ deals with a number of themes and emotions. From dealing with the concept of hurt and loss in ‘My Dreams Are Not Enough’, to living life freely as a child in ‘Anorak Jack’.

Among the tracks includes ‘The Pedantic Platypus’, a simple tune ascending into a lively manner with an uplifting key and tempo change.

The naming and title track of the album came about due to the abrupt cancellation of  a festival in 2017 called Fuaim Gathering, which is also the name of the opening track of the album. The cancelling of the festival was due to The Unsolicited Dance Act. Taking its name from this act, leads to the song being about being free spirited and rebellious. It deals with the concept of freedom of expression and rallying against the notion that one rule rules all.

During the composition of the album, the band were given some helpful musical and lyrical help from Fionn Morrison (Uilleann Pipes/Whistle), Caoimhe Maher (Fiddle) and Ethel Trappe Mongey (Jigtime lyrics). These additions really helped to bring the album to life.

‘The Unsolicited Dance Will’ be released on June 18th on all major streaming platforms.

Website: www.stringsandthings.band

Facebook: www.facebook.com/StringsndThings

The National Concert Hall and District present a new production spearheaded by acclaimed poet FeliSpeaks, Extraterrestrial – which sets out to illustrate Ireland’s rich cultural tapestry, by threading together themes of identity, race and community through the lens of the island’s leading rappers and performers.

Performances on the night include rapper and activist JyellowL, whose star has been firmly in the ascent since the release of 2018 EP ‘Me n Me Too’. The former UCD politics student led Black Lives Matter protests in the capital before dropping his Choice Prize-nominated album 2020 ‘D|Vision’. The bill also features RnB star Erica Cody, who is still basking in the glow of the plaudits heaped on her outstanding 2019 EP ‘Leoness’. Like JyellowL, Erica took part in the capital’s BLM protests in 2020, a keen social activist, her experiences of racism in Ireland led to her launching her Don’t Touch My Hair (DTMH) campaign.

Extraterrestrial’s impressive cast list continues with Belfast-based singer and rapper Alicia Raye, who released one of 2020’s most ambitious projects in collaborative mixtape ‘Alphabet’, which saw 40 artists from Ireland’s rap, RnB and Afrobeat scene come together across 26 tracks. The bill also boasts Galway native Celaviedmai, whose legendary live performances have landed her support slots to luminaries such as Lil Wayne, Mac Miller and Tinchy Stryder amongst others. Celaviedmai was one of the organisers of the Youth Against Racism & Inequality Day 2020, which took place in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.

Additionally, this special concert sees Dundalk drill rapper Reggie take to the NCH stage, his acclaimed 2020 single ‘My Accent’ has been hailed as a powerful rebuke to systemic racism and is a compelling meditation on the black experience in Ireland. Completing the stellar selection of artists is Kildare alt-hip hop duo Tebi Rex, who wowed the crowds at last year’s SXSW and whose critically-acclaimed debut album ‘The Young Will Eat The Old’was one of 2019’s most significant Irish releases.

Extraterrestrial is curated by FeliSpeaks with Craig Connolly and Dylan Murphy of District and aims to showcase the artists cutting through busy public discourse, owning what it is to be othered and challenging outdated notions of Irishness.

Produced by District and NCH
A Free Livestream from the National Concert Hall 
Thursday 20th May 2021, 8pm Ireland/UK | 9pm CET
View on National Concert Hall Youtube/Facebook 
The concert will be available for 7 days following the performance.
This event is supported by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Dublin-based four piece Sky Atlas will release their new single ‘Stone’ on Friday 14th May 2021.

At its core, ‘Stone’ is a love song, a vivid canvas upon which the band unfurls diverse influences and orchestral instrumentation. The vocals are sensitive and beautifully-layered with all four voices contributing to the song’s cinematic feel.

As the leading track from Sky Atlas’ forthcoming debut EP, ‘Stone’ taps into the specialist attributes of the individuals at the heart of the band – four young musicians with backgrounds as diverse as their musical palettes.

The quartet is made up of Louis Younge, a wildly versatile multi-instrumentalist as adept with a violin as he is with a wind organ; vocalist and guitarist Lughaidh Armstrong-Maycock who recently toured as part of troubadour David Keenan’s band in support of his album ‘A Beginner’s Guide To Bravery’; Deftones-loving drummer Ryan McClelland – an “absolute monster behind the kit who can play anything”; and bassist Danilo Ward – a “mystery man” who grew up in a French commune, moved to Ireland to study biology and wound up pursuing music full-time in BIMM Dublin alongside his future bandmates.

The band has come a long way since their 2019 debut single, ‘News Today’. With ‘Stone’, Sky Atlas scale new musical heights in both concept and delivery.

Vocalist Lughaidh Armstrong-Maycock says, “Our music has changed quite a lot since we first formed. In a music college, you’re surrounded by loads of different inspirations everywhere, taking from different things – we’re finally now coming to a point where we’re really excited because we’re putting out a body of work that represents a step forward into the music that we want to be making.”

This single is just a taster of what’s to come from the full ‘Stone’ EP from Sky Atlas.

Cork-based international “genre-straddlers” We March is delighted to release their second single ‘Wake’ from their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Fight or Flight’ on Friday 28^th May 2021. Released at the tail end of 2020 ‘Fight or Flight’ was called “A Genuine Work of Art” by Hot Press Magazine and “Beautiful, mesmeric and stunning” by Camille O’Sullivan, as well as being included in the Hot Press Top 100 Highly Recommended Albums of 2020.

While the dark and beautiful lead single ‘Bones’ provided a preview to the depths on offer from this truly exceptional band with a real international edge, our second single ‘Wake’ picks up where ‘Bones’ leaves off but takes a different path with a gleefully perverse approach to Irish funerial rituals.

“It’s the drinking, isn’t it,” says songwriter John Paul FitzGerald, “We seem to find a joy and catharsis in over-doing it at a wake.  It seems to me to be a form of emotional release and blow-out.  Then there are the people that have little or no connection to you at all who come out of the woodwork for a drinking session. Everyone has an elderly relative who ‘loves a good funeral’. It’s all very strange and a little perverse if you think about it.”

Italian lead singer, Debora Calzaccia, says of her joyously over the top tour-de-force vocals, “I love my vocals on this track, especially in the chorus.  We had other takes that were technically more precise, but this was the one we went with.  It has a really manic, punky energy to it which gives the song an even greater boost.”

“The band outdid themselves on this song,” remembers Debora. “In the verse Gael’s sea-sick cello, Mohamed’s restrained fiddle and John Paul’s creeping piano give a real sense of menace. And then there is that explosion to the chorus, with Cathal’s drumming and tempo chant, along with the full throttle instrumentation landing the punches to give the loud-quiet-loud dynamics, like the Pixies collaborating with Kurt Weill.”

Edwin McFee of Hot Press hilariously said the following about ‘Wake’: “The waltzing, gleefully O.T.T. ‘Wake’ is a highlight – if the cast of What We Do In The Shadows ever entered the Eurovision, then this is the song they should pick.”  The band wholly agrees and would happily petition Johnny Logan for the opportunity!!

‘Wake’ is released on Friday 28^th May 2021.

Webpage: www.wemarchtheband.com

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

Instagram: www.instagram.com/wemarchband

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3SWi2NWuK8vfrmwZXyiP5h

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/1535161262

Bandcamp: https://wemarch1.bandcamp.com/

Purchase – Tower Records: https://www.towerrecords.ie/product/WEMARCH_FIGHTORFLIGHT/851361

Purchase – Music Zone Records: https://musiczone.ie/product/we-march-fight-or-flight-cd/

‘The moon sets and birds cry / 月は落ち、鳥が鳴いて’ is an album of pieces and improvisations for piano and electronics by composer/musician Anna Murray.

Created and recorded in 2020-2021, while Murray was studying traditional Japanese Noh theatre at Tokyo University of the Arts, the tracks of the album reflect aspects of that experience, and of Noh. Recorded in a rehearsal space during the Covid-19 pandemic and fluctuating emergency restrictions, the album also conjures a sense of closeness, of interiority and reflection.

‘The moon sets and birds cry / 月は落ち、鳥が鳴いて’ is a quote from the Noh play Dōjō-ji, describing the moonlit scene at an expectant moment at a temple. The sounds and ideas of Noh are reflected in ways both direct and indirect throughout the album. Many of the tracks were recorded with microphones inside the lid of the closed piano, to pick up and amplify its mechanical properties – sympathetic resonances, the metallic hums of strings, wooden creaks of the piano frame reminiscent of the Noh stage and footstep-like knocks are woven into the texture. As with mugen (dreamlike) Noh, the worlds of reality and illusion are constantly shifted and blurred.

The album is bookended by two improvisations for piano and live processing, ‘Mirror Board 1&2’, named after the kagami-ita, the back panel of the Noh stage. The ‘mirror-board’ is always painted with the image of a pine tree, a ‘reflection’ of the Yōgō no Matsu pine from the Kasuga Taisha temple in Nara. Another pair of pieces, ‘Azuma-Asobi/東遊 (version 1&2)’ are based on the melodic structure of a section of one of the most famous Noh plays, Hagoromo, and were created using a hybrid noh/stave notation developed by the composer during her studies. One version uses a pitch-set close to that used in the Hosho school of Noh chant performance, the second uses the same structure with a new pitch-set, like two reflections in different colours.

At the centre of the album is another work, for piano and nohkan (flute) samples, whose title is borrowed from a Noh play; in this case, Yō Kihi, in reference to the old Chinese love story of Vega and Altair (shortened here to ‘In the sky, birds. On earth, trees’).

In the sky, we will be a pair of birds who always fly together in tandem. 

On earth, we will be a pair of intertwined trees, our branches always touching. 

It is followed by the first of two older works featured on the album, ‘At Mii-Dera’, (originally commissioned in 2017 by Kirkos Ensemble for Máire Carroll) which uses a graphic score based on the imagery of the moon, clouds and birds from the play Mii-dera.

The album ends with the second older work, ‘Water Iris’, with guest vocalist Michelle O’Rourke, which explores memory and longing through poetry from the play Kakitsubata, and poets Anna Akhmatova and Emily Dickinson, recorded remotely between Ireland and Japan.

Anna Murray is a mixed-media composer and artist from Ireland and currently based in Tokyo. She has a particular interest in language and text-based composition, as well as  graphic and open scores combined with live electronics. Her current work revolves around an examination of music and meaning, particularly focussed on a study of Japanese Noh theatre. In 2019 she was awarded the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship to attend Tokyo University of the Arts as a research student, where she studied Noh with Takeda Takashi until 2021.

Recent releases include City Shadows on Café OTO’s Takuroku label, the self-released Rndr II and These Are the First Words I’ve Spoken, and The Manhattan Syndrome’s Goodbye Iowa. Recent works include four major works created as part of her Noh research (to be performed soon), as well as Crosstalk, commissioned by Crash Ensemble and premiered as part of the Musictown 2021 festival.

Tracklist:

1. Mirror Board/鏡板 1 (live improvisation)
2. Azuma-asobi/東遊 (version 1)
3. In the sky, birds. On earth, trees
4. At Mii-Dera
5. Azuma-asobi/東遊 (version 2)
6. Mirror Board/鏡板 2 (live improvisation)
7. Water Iris/杜若 (with Michelle O’Rourke)

Website: www.annamurraymusic.com

Bandcamp: www.annamurraymusic.bandcamp.com

With thanks to: 武田孝史, 田嵜甫, 武田伊佐, 石松イサク, 在アイルランド日本国大使館 (Embassy of Japan in Ireland), The Embassy of Ireland, Japan 

David Keenan releases his new single ‘Peter O’Toole’s Drinking Stories’. It is taken from his forthcoming second album, which will be released later this year to coincide with a headline tour across Ireland, Europe and the UK from October.

Dundalk-native David Keenan released his debut album – ‘A Beginner’s Guide To Bravery’ – in January 2020. The album charted at number one on the official Irish Independent Album Charts, number six in the official National Album Charts and was one of the best-selling vinyl album releases by an Irish artist in 2020. The album release coincided with an unforgettable sold-out concert at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin. The concert film/documentary based on the gig – ‘Alchemy & Prose’ – debuted at the prestigious London Doc’N’Roll Festival in November of last year, and was accompanied by a limited-edition live album, released for Record Store Day 2020.

Like many others, David’s touring plans for the year were halted by the pandemic. He released three lo-fi ‘Isolation Tapes’ on Bandcamp during lockdown. ‘Peter O Toole’s Drinking Stories’ is the first tale in the next chapter from this exciting singer-storyteller, growing in confidence, stretching boundaries and embracing new sounds, assuredly delivered in his familiar narrative drawl. His forthcoming second album is a deft but noticeable step up from his debut, fulfilling his promise, and then some. More information on the album will follow in the coming months. David has also just released his first book of poetry.

David Keenan will be heading out on tour this coming autumn and winter.

David Keenan Live:

13^th October – Limelight 1, Belfast
16^th October – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
19^th October – Artheater, Cologne
20^th October – Le Pop Up, Paris
21^st October – Secret Show, Brussels
22^nd October – Paradiso Noord, Amsterdam
24^th October – Badehaus, Berlin
26^th October – Bogen F, Zurich
27^th October – Strom, Munich
29^th October – Chelsea, Vienna
30^th October – PPC, Graz
1^st November – Chapeau Rouge, Prague
3^rd November – Poglos, Warsaw
8^th November – Belleville, Oslo
10^th November – Nalen Clubb, Stockholm
12^th November – Ideal Bar, Copenhagen
22^nd November – Deaf Institute, Manchester
23^rd November – Islington Assembly Hall, London
24^th November – Komedia, Brighton
27^th November – The Leadmill, Sheffield
28^th November – Firebug, Leicester
30^th November – St Lukes, Glasgow
1^st December – The Caves, Edinburgh
2^nd December – Northumbria Students Union, Newcastle
4^th December – EBGBs, Liverpool
6^th December – Cyprus Avenue, Cork
8^th December – Dolans, Limerick
9^th December – Roisin Dubh, Galway
10^th December – Spirit Store, Dundalk
12^th December – Olympia, Dublin

Independently pioneering the genre of emo rap, Cork based artist LG4 Trey has quickly made a name for himself in his home town as well as in the UK and the US. Fusing Hip-Hop with Alternative Rock and collaborating with international talent such as SpaceMan Zack and CRIM, LG4 Trey is quickly becoming the face of emo rap in Ireland and soon, Europe. With the emergence of the emo-rap wave, LG4 Trey hopes to be at the forefront of it all with eccentric debut album ‘Social Poison’.

‘Social Poison’ is a seven track art piece centred around the concept of society poisoning his mind, the album is a deep dive into the complex mind of LG4 Trey. The first half of the album is about the dissection of self, LG4 Trey talks about battling mental anguish and himself, the latter half is about encounters and relationships with other people that have been far from perfect. Concluding on the final track which is a full circle and eureka moment for LG4 Trey.

In conversation with LG4 Trey he explained his creative process “The whole album was recorded in either my bedroom or my friend’s kitchen. I mixed and mastered every track myself with techniques I picked up from being around sound engineers at studios and from YouTube tutorials. All 5 of the producers featured on the project are people that I came across online. Prod. 2001 produced track no. 2 ‘black dress’ in collaboration with muptyXYZ. I have been working with prod. 2001 since my last project over a year ago. 3 of the producers are American, Prod 2001 is from Thailand and the last producer Flo-Motion is from The Netherlands.” The album was written and recorded during the period of coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

LG4 Trey’s love for music began at a young age learning to play traditional Irish instruments such as the Violin and the Bodhrán. It wasn’t until 2016 when the young artist first recorded an original track. After spending weeks freestyling with his friends, Trey was introduced to someone that had connections with a local youth centre. There was a small recording studio on the ground floor where he would go on to create his first song.

Throughout the last couple of years LG4 Trey has been defining his sound and gaining a cult following. After learning how to DIY engineer his own music. With inspiration taken from bands such as blink-182 & Sum 41 to emo rappers such as Lil Peep, LiL Lotus & LIL DUSTY G, he is quickly becoming the face of emo-rap in Ireland and soon, Europe.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/lg4trey

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Lg4Trey

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lg4trey/

SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/lg4trey

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/3gVY0V1HsLc9jhkHqV5boH?si=ISCUC_IsT4CX-imM8i-1QA

Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNw2ibxm839pxaKBsZdIqmQ

Pastiche unleashes her third single ‘Paraphernalia’, another pop monster, on all streaming platforms, Thursday 13^th May 2021. Coming off the back of the huge radio success of her last single ‘Heaven’, which hit the Top 5 in the Irish Radio Breakers, plus broke into the Top 75 of the main national airplay chart earlier this year, ‘Paraphernalia’ is set to be one of Pastiche’s most captivating singles yet that fully embodies her unique, unashamed pop sound!

‘Paraphernalia’ is a full-on dark pop fantasy banger with energy, sass and badass basslines. Perfect for summer, this track is about longing for that crazy night out we all miss so much. Sonically and lyrically, this track demands your attention just like Pastiche herself.

Pastiche is set to release the music video for ‘Paraphernalia’ on Wednesday May 26th.

Off the back of her Hot Press Y&E series, Pastiche is set to announce her first headline show upstairs at Whelan’s Dublin November 11^th 2021. Show to be announced Wednesday, May 5th, Tickets on sale at 9 am Friday, May 7th. Tickets available from ticketmaster.ie/tickets.ie/WAVtickets.ie.