Author: Breffni Banks

Universal Music Ireland and RTÉ 2FM are very proud to announce this October the release of ‘SALVATION’ , a 13 – track collection of covers inspired by The Cranberries and performed by the best of contemporary Irish artists.

The charity album is preceded by the single ‘When You’re Gone’ taken from The Cranberries 3^rd studio album ‘To the Faithful Departed’ and performed by Dublin band Pillow Queens.

Pre- order HERE

‘SALVATION’ – inspired by The Cranberries is set for release October 1^st, 2021 in aid of Pieta, the charity was founded in Dublin in 2006, and ensures that help is available to those in suicidal crisis.

This collection of recordings features selected tracks from The Cranberries first five studio albums: ‘Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?’, ‘No Need To Argue’, ‘To The Faithful Departed’, ‘Bury The Hatchet’, and ‘Wake Up and Smell the Coffee’  They are covered by the very best of contemporary Irish artists including rising star Moncrieff with his cover of ‘Free to Decide’, Sinead O’Connor performing ‘No Need to Argue’, Wyvern Lingo with ‘Salvation’ plus many more.

Tune in to RTÉ One – The Late Late Show this evening for Pillow Queens debut performance and their version of ‘When You’re Gone’

‘SALVATION’ – inspired by The Cranberries will be available on CD, download, all streaming platforms & Limited-Edition vinyl from October 1^st, 2021, available to Pre- order HERE

Full Track Listing as follows.

1. Sinead O’Connor – No Need to Argue
2. Irish Women in Harmony – Dreams
3. Pillow Queens – When You’re Gone
4. Moncrieff – Free to Decide
5. Wyvern Lingo – Salvation
6. Aimée – Linger
7. Walking On Cars – Promises
8. Kodaline with the RTE Orchestra featuring Noel Hogan – Zombie (Live)
9. The Cranberries – Chocolate Brown (Recorded Live for 2FM)
10. Kitt Philippa – Twenty One
11. Roe – Can’t Be With You
12. True Tides – Ode to My Family
13. Kellie Lewis – Ridiculous Thoughts

Today, Friday 7^th of May, Irish Singer-Songwriter Julia-Maria releases ‘Morning Light’ which is available to stream from all major streaming platforms.

‘Morning Light’ is Julia-Maria’s second single release from her upcoming E.P.  A fresh new artist from Cork, Julia-Maria presents a folk-pop record that’s reminiscent of First Aid Kit and Maggie Rodgers. Recorded and produced at Monique Studios, ‘Morning Light’ was written in the depths of the first national lockdown.

“During the lockdown, I struggled with my mental health and feeling disconnected from my music. I was feeling lost and lonely as I’m sure many others were at the time but one morning I woke up at the crack of dawn and decided to go for a walk. At 6 am, I found myself walking through the East Cork countryside and with the sunrise, I found a sense of peace. Standing there, in the ‘Morning Light’, I found comfort in my own company and an acceptance of who I am. Writing this song was a turning point in the journey of getting to know myself completely, and I just knew it had to be on my EP. We recorded it the following week.”

The accompanying music video for ‘Morning Light’ reflects these sentiments completely. Shot on the East Cork coast, Julia-Maria displays her home with true pride of place. From the dramatic cliffs of Knockadoon to the lush Glenbower forest, the vibrancy in ‘Morning Light’ is electric and Ireland has never looked better.

Listen to Morning Light here: Spotify

Facebook: /JuliaMariaMusician

Instagram: /Julia_Maria_Music

After hitting the milestone of 1 million streams on Spotify for his song ‘Blue As An Orange’, ‘Soul Snatcher’ returns with new single ‘Soul Snatcher’.

Nic was thrilled to be asked to take part of the compilation ‘Smoke & Mirrors II’ by the label Effortless Audio, showcasing some of the best artists in the Jazz-Hop, Chill-Hop genre.

Nic came up with ‘Soul Snatcher’ where he plays some jazzy guitar licks over a soul infused Lo-Fi Hip-Hop track. Raw, vintage vibes but re-packaged in a modern sound!

‘Soul Snatcher” by Nicolas Kluzek is available across all digital platforms now.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3KRLeFfPwVcTfIGuK9DSqw?si=5e99de042b6b4060

Local Boy is a Dublin based musician who creates highly idiosyncratic pop music which he oversees entirely from inception to mastering – having spent years honing his abilities as a producer and an engineer despite his young age.

In the short time he has been releasing music under the Local Boy moniker, he has racked up nearly a million Spotify streams, supported international performers such as Easy Life, Hobo Johnson, and Open Mike Eagle, and sold-out his first headline gig in Dublin’s legendary venue Whelan’s.

Following up on the success of his two recently released singles ‘Al Bundy’ and ‘Thoughts’ which were both added to high-profile Spotify editorial playlists such as ‘New Music Friday’, ‘Our Generation’, and ‘Peach’, Local Boy returns with his sophomore EP ‘Local Boy Helps Himself’, OUT NOW.  https://localboy3000.bandcamp.com/album/local-boy-ruins-everything

The EP is the culmination of lessons learned along Local Boy’s career thus far with tracks touching on bedroom pop, hip-hop, and indie rock all filtered through the Irish producer’s singular sonic sensibility.

Delivering a message through his danceable and uplifting sound, several tracks on the EP centre around a critique of the toxic positivity culture that can taint online self-help communities and make us feel guilty for our negative emotions.

“I really wanted to get a cohesive message across with this body of work while still retaining the playful energy of my earlier releases,” says Local Boy

“Since the pandemic began so many of us have turned to online self-help outlets to try weather the storm we’ve found ourselves in, and so much of that content serves no purpose other than to uphold the neoliberal orthodoxy that our pain is a personal failing and not indicative of wider problems in society.” 

“I’m a huge fan of the writing of the late Mark Fisher who tackled a lot of these issues in his literature, and I wanted to wrap these ideas up in a danceable, bedroom-pop package.”

Having spent the pandemic working on music, Local Boy shares his sophomore EP, Bandcamp Friday 7^th May 2021, with a Deluxe version available exclusively on Bandcamp:

Local Boy Linktree: https://linktr.ee/local_boy3000

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LocalBoy3000/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/localboy3000 / @localboy3000

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/local_boy3000/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/34Ze0nb54KG3gietZGFZIj?si=8-o0SwDiRka99CQCMDVBqw

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ie/artist/local-boy/18474169

This is so ‘Wrong’, it’s right. Cork based and catchy, Gerald Ahern has been working endlessly in his home-grown Lady Shed Studios. He and the band have put together a fantastic radio edit and pop video of their popular number ‘Wrong’. The track has been circling the airwaves since May 1st when its radio debut impressed listeners everywhere.

When Gerald lost his mother during lockdown, he couldn’t come to terms easily. It’s difficult at any time and yet when there is limited social function, we can’t even try to get back to normal. This is why and how this latest number came about. Channelling the emotion from its rawness into professionally recorded music has given Gerald Ahern the necessary bridge to walk. The track is now out there so anyone can listen and take from it what they need to.

The homely blend of RnB, catchy hooks, and melodic composition helps Gerald and the band to reach brilliant heights on stage. They’ve worked with luminary acts such as Aslan, Picture This, Billy Ocean, Ryan Sheridan, and The Academic. With a whole year gone by since the last record, which was produced by Philip McGee of The Academic, Kodaline, Wild Youth and more, it’s an explosive time for this young and talented singer

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/geraldahernmusic/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/geraldahernmusic/?hl=en
Twitter:https://twitter.com/GeraldAhern

Inhaler today release their new song ‘Who’s Your Money On? (Plastic House)’. The track is a swaggering indie-pop anthem and the latest slice of indelible songcraft from the quartet, who are made up of Elijah Hewson (vocals and guitar), Josh Jenkinson (guitar), Robert Keating (bass) and Ryan McMahon (drums). The release of Inhaler’s debut album ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ will arrive on Polydor Records on July 9^th.

Their first full-length sees the Dublin band hone the impressive promise of their early singles into something truly special. “We really had the opportunity to explore our sound,” says Hewson. ‘Who’s Your Money On? (Plastic House)’ blends the band’s sonic adventurousness with their undeniable knack of big choruses and captivating hooks. It was recorded in London’s Narcissus Studios with the band’s long-term producing foil Antony Genn.

Inhaler will play a full tour of the UK and Ireland later this year. The dates in September, October and November include brand new UK tour dates alongside the band’s rescheduled tour of Ireland as well as an additional two new shows.

September/October 2021

Tues 28th Sept Sheffield Octagon
Weds 29th Sept Leeds 02 Academy
Fri 1st Oct Newcastle 02 Academy
Sat 2nd Oct Birmingham 02 Institute 1
Sun 3rd Oct Bristol 02 Academy 1
Tues 5th Oct Nottingham Rock City
Wed 6th Oct London 02 Forum Kentish Town
Thu 7th Oct Norwich The Nick Rayns LCR, UEA
Sat 9th Oct Liverpool Uni, The Mountford Hall
Sun 10th Oct Glasgow Barrowland
Tues 12th Oct Manchester 02 Ritz

December 2021

Tue 14 Dec – Belfast, Limelight 1
Wed 15 Dec – Limerick, Dolan’s Warehouse
Thu 16 Dec – Cork, Cyprus Avenue
Fri 17 Dec – Killarney, INEC Acoustic Club – NEW SHOW
Sun 19 Dec – Dublin, Academy  – NEW SHOW
Mon 20 Dec – Dublin, Academy
Tue 21 Dec – Dublin, Academy

‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ is released on July 9^th.

The Great Escape, which usually takes place in Brighton, has moved online this year and 9 Irish acts will be showcasing at the festival. The event showcases artists from all over the UK and Europe, and this year they are making the online music version free to access via https://greatescapefestival.com/

Delegate passes can be purchased via https://greatescapefestival.com/buy-delegate-passes/

Music From Ireland Showcase, Thursday 13^th May, Stage 2

The Zen Arcade

Smoothboi Ezra

Alex Gough

Soda Blonde

MELTS

MCD Presents Showcase

Robert Grace

Aby Coulibaly

Monjola

SPRINTS

Most of the acts were filmed in the Olympia Theatre, Dublin in April by South Paw Productions under Covid protocol.

Angela Dorgan commented: “The UK is a vital market for Irish acts making that next career leap and the Great Escape has been an incredibly important moment in that build. Music from Ireland’s showcasing of these acts to UK and international buyers, bookers, labels etc will help them grow in that market and beyond.  It is especially heartening in a post-Brexit and Covid world to see such a diversity of Irish acts showcasing at TGE21”.    

The Great Escape is an annual showcase of UK and European music to bookers, festivals and agents from around the world and is a key showcase event for artists breaking markets and airwaves. The online showcase event will be available to Irish audiences and industry for free for 2021.

Music from Ireland is the Irish Music Export Initiative funded by the Government through Culture Ireland, supported by IMRO and run by First Music Contact to showcase Irish music internationally. This year MFI is funded to cover the events (online and otherwise), such as ESNS, SXSW, The Great Escape, Iceland Airwaves and more, as these festivals have been identified as key showcases in their specific territories.

Founded in 2005, Culture Ireland – part of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht – works to generate international opportunities for Irish artists and supports Irish artists as they gain global contracts and develop their careers. In 2017, Culture Ireland reached 3.5 million live audience members and 7 million online viewers through the 450 Culture Ireland supported events presented in over 50 countries by Irish artists.

For further information log onto http://www.musicfromireland.org/

After releasing the first single last week, HousePlants, the exciting creative vision of two of Ireland’s most respected artists – Bell X1 frontman Paul Noonan and innovative atmospheric producer Daithí – share the new video for the song.

The video was made during lockdown by the Amsterdam based paper and stop motion artist Emi Hazlett. Paul and Daithí Zoomed in their bits from home.

“It was quite something to see Emi create this beautiful paper world – models of a dinky desk and chair, book shelves & books, a record player, records! We felt a little bad about sticking our janky zoomed heads into it all.”

Debut single ‘What’s With All The Pine?’ is peppered with playful observations courtesy of Noonan’s wandering mind, forever etching little mental notes during his many virtual appointments across the past year. Noonan considers the track, “an attempt to speak to one of the phenomena of this time; the sometimes soul-crushing Zoom calls, the efforts to convey a certain taste or togetherness with our backgrounds – while all around us is going to shit! – having a snoop, an interest in others’ private spaces and a certain judgy-ness around it all.”

“Having made ‘Take The Wheel’ together for Daithí’s most recent record, I sent him a song last summer by way of a ‘Howaya?’, really, but also for his banger sensibilities!” says Noonan. “We began trading ideas with the idea that whatever we were doing was not ‘Take The Wheel’, that we go the other way and make music that was visceral and a release of sorts.”

Daithí picks up the thread. “It doesn’t feel like one of us featuring on the other’s music – it’s greater than the sum of its parts,” he says. “I’ve always worked as a solo producer so forming a band has been a lovely experience. There’s magic in seeing one of your ideas being worked on from a different point of view, sending music to someone you trust and having it return as a brand new piece of art. The more you work together on an idea, the further it goes until eventually you can’t see the seams. It’s something completely unique.”

“As time wore on, we increasingly felt the need to make something that shook us out of the fog. Something rattly, loose and defiant that blew the cobwebs away. Music that we could imagine playing at a 2am festival slot.”

That sense of camaraderie and community is hard-wired into the music of HousePlants. A new tribe for modern times. All welcome.

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5tnWhgpR0zucG8lhmd9HKn?si=eCIgZZiQQaODK-_oZHgr2w

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/houseplantsband/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/HousePlants_hi?s=09

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

Bandcamp:
https://wearehouseplants.bandcamp.com/releases

Saint Sister’s second album ‘Where I Should End’ will be released on June 25^th via FUGA. Their brand-new single, ‘Oh My God Oh Canada’, and accompanying video, is out now.

“‘Oh My God Oh Canada’ is about the intricacies within your most cherished and complicated relationships. It’s about not knowing where the line is, finding yourself on the wrong side of it and spending months trying to find your way back to the right place. It’s about saying too much and at the same time, nothing at all, giving too much of yourself in one moment but not showing up when you’re needed most I wrote it about wanting to be a better friend, but knowing I never would be.” – Morgan (Saint Sister)

“It’s easy to take the nature that surrounds us for granted. 

For this video, we wanted to highlight the beauty of the Irish landscape. By creating abstract lighting setups we want the viewer to observe nature in a different way and to cherish it” – Director Janna Kemperman

Saint Sister’s new record ‘Where I Should End’ is an incredibly hands-on project, with every track written, arranged and produced by the band – seeing Morgana and Gemma confidently evolving into their distinct roles as songwriter and producer. The duo are resolutely independent and decided they would self-release their sophomore album after returning to Dublin from their prematurely cancelled US tour with Keane, sadly cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘Where I Should End’ was recorded at The Meadow Studio, Co. Wicklow with Rian Trench and mixed in Berlin with Benedikt MacIsaac. Layering synths and drum machines with harp, strings and piano, the record opens new sonic avenues for Saint Sister, while showcasing their most honest song-writing to date. New single ‘Karaoke Song’ follows tracks ‘Dynamite’ and ‘The Place That I Work’ featuring Lisa Hannigan, both released last year.

The distinctive suits worn by Gemma and Morgan were specially commissioned from rising fashion designer Aideen Gaynor, who took inspiration from a collection of work housed in the National Gallery by Susan and Elizabeth Yeats, pioneers of the Irish Arts and Crafts movement at the turn of the century and sisters of renowned Irish poet W.B, and painter Jack B Yeats.

Tracklist 1. My Brilliant Friend  2. Dynamite  3. Karaoke Song  4. The Place That I Work (f. Lisa Hannigan)  5. Irish Hour  6. Date Night 7. Oh My God Oh Canada  8. Manchester Air  9. House 9  10. Any Dreams?

www.saintsisterband.com

www.facebook.com/Saint.Sister.band

www.twitter.com/Saint_Sister_

www.instagram.com/saint_sister_