Author: Breffni Banks

“I need to feel something tonight, like love” sings The Art Crimes Band lead singer Grace McMahon over sultry saxophone. With their eclectic line up the Cork band are uniquely suited to take inspiration from classic 80’s themes and return with another soulful release ahead of a busy touring season. New single ‘Neon Skyline’ is out August 26, 2022.

Inspired by the novel “Bright Lights, Big City” by American author Jay McInerney, ‘Neon Skyline’ was conceived by guitarist Stephen Kirby while on a night time drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. As the lights of Las Vegas loomed over the horizon from the highway Stephen began to think of a driving drum beat and a guitar riff. This would become the genesis of ‘Neon Skyline’. Ten years later the track would be completed with the rest of the band with lyrics based upon Jay McInerney’s novel; a tale about a character’s time spent caught up in, and notably escaping from, the mid-1980s New York City fast lane.

Staying true to the 80’s theme of the song, the track’s sound and production is akin to 80’s Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The HeartBreakers, John Mayer and Bon Iver. ‘Neon Skyline’ was recorded and produced by The Art Crimes Band at their FlashPoint Creative Studios in Cork City Ireland and mastered by engineer Andy Walter (David Bowie, Rush, Simple Minds) at Abbey Road Studios, London.

The Art Crimes Band’s first album Radio on the SUGO Music record label in 2015 reflected a group still searching for their groove. Following on from last year’s ‘In The Dark Of The evening’ and with a fresh studio album in the works they have solidified a firm foundation in the R&B/Soul sound under which they are right at home.  Band members include Gary Baus (Alto Saxophone), Stephen Kirby (Guitars), Niall Dennehy (Drums & Percussion), Grace McMahon (Vocals), Tim O’Leary (Bass) and introducing new member Katie O’Donnell (Piano & Keyboards).

‘Neon Skyline’ is out worldwide on the SUGO Music Record label August 26, 2022

Live Shows

August 26-29: SoulFest Cork tickets https://soulfestcork.com

October 29^: Guinness Cork Jazz Festival  – The Oliver Plunkett

October 29: Guinness Cork Jazz Festival  – The Woodford

October 30: Guinness Cork Jazz Festival  – The Oliver Plunkett

Connect

Facebook: @theartcrimesband

Twitter: @artcrimesband

Instagram: @theartcrimesband

TikTok: @theartcrimesband

Photo: Hilda McMahon

Lloyd John is set tot release his debut studio recorded EP on August 26th 2022.

Speaking about the EP, Lloyd John says;

‘Homesick’ is a collection of 4 key memorable moments in my life over the past 2 years. It battles sexual confusion, depression, anxiety, love and realisation.

TRACK 1 “Nobody has to know”
Tells a story about life inside a closeted gay relationship. My boyfriend and I were in a serious relationship for almost 6 months before we felt the courage to tell anybody. The song shows the struggles that come with it and frustration towards to world for making us feel uncomfortable in our choices and our own skin. The song possesses positive energy consistently throughout as those first 6 months were still amazing behind closed doors and I knew that discomfort wouldn’t last forever.

TRACK 2 “I feel so alone”
I first noticed it in the summer of 2021. I was sitting in my student accommodation living room in Cork with all of my absolute closest friends but still felt such a great deal of loneliness
because my partner Danny was in Limerick and It was impossible for us to be together at that time. This song represents that feeling of loneliness.

TRACK 3 “One Life”
For me, one of the main things I’ve taken away from the COVID-19 Pandemic is to not take life too seriously and to really enjoy every possible minute of it. Even when there are awful things
happening around you, try to remember things don’t last forever. Everything does get better, and you will be ok. My main goal with this song is to give my listeners a sense of relief.

TRACK 4 “Homesick”
This is the leading song for the EP as it carries the most weight in regards to my personal life. This year has torn my relationship with many people into pieces, we have all put down on of the most difficult years of our entire lives and this song for me represents unity on one hand, and desperate separation on the other. I wrote this song alone in my boyfriends apartment, I was alone
for hours and I was in a position where I couldn’t tell who my real friends were and who was lying to me. I lost 50% of my friendships that day and this song poured out of me as what seemed to be a cry for help and a longing to go home. Home isn’t perfect, but it is still a safe place, somewhere I feel settled.

About Lloyd John

Emerging from a small town in the mid-west of Ireland, Lloyd John is a blast of energy and a raw and highly emotional performer. He strives off of creating that stomach turning emotion in his music and will never shy away from introducing new sounds to do so, blending alternative pop with some contagious choruses leaving a permanent memory in his audiences minds.
Before all this though as a 16 year old songwriter with a laptop and a dream, Lloyd bought a €30 microphone and produced one of his early singles “Alive”, which has well over 1,500,000 streams
today.

Lloyd John has opened for fantastic bands/artists such as Baby Queen, Happy Alone, Tolu Makay and many more.

Lloyd John has been played and performed on multiple radio stations and tv programmes across Ireland for example; RTE’s TG4, Spin South West, RedFM, Classic Hits, Beat102103, Limerick Post and many more.

He has also been in magazines and blogs such as the Hot Press, Golden Plec and Limerick Post. He’s only getting started…

RATIOS are a 3 piece Kildare/Wicklow based indie-rock band consisting of lead singer Dan O’Shaughnessy, Liam Brady and Mike O’Sullivan who began as a 2-piece in September 2021.

Despite having no luck securing any additional members to add to the line-up, both Liam and Dan entered the studio to release a single which they hoped would draw some attention to their sound and attract a bassist to join.

Their first single ‘Yellow Ribbon’ was released March 10^th 2022, and gained the attention of Mike O’Sullivan, who came across an ad which the band had published. Mike became a driving force behind the band’s sound and invited a whole new platform for them to experiment creatively.

Since then, RATIOS have performed across some of Dublin’s most iconic venues for new bands (Whelan’s, Fibber Magees, The Workman’s Club) and most recently had the pleasure of opening for Desert Storm while they were on tour.

The band are now set to burst back on to the music scene and hope to make a bigger name for themselves with their infectious, snappy and memorable new single ‘Wait some time’ which will be released on August 26^th 2022.

“Our musical influences range from QOTSA, Arctic Monkeys, IDLES, Viagra Boys, Cage the elephant, Nirvana. We do not base our music on any of those bands but we listen to them heavily for inspiration really.  We are a pretty energetic band(in the studio and on stage) . We like playing loud. We really just enjoy the freedom of being creatively energetic in our approach to music and writing. Our songs are riff based so we always try to develop hooks around the riffs and make them catchy. As I said we are energetic so it comes through in our songs.”

“The main guitar riff in Wait Some Time was written 8 years ago but was never developed until recently. The song quickly came together quickly over two rehearsal sessions when the main riff was played and ideas began to flourish.”

“The song itself portrays a delusional state of mind and the struggle to break through a maze of uncertainty and indecisiveness. Whilst trying to break through barriers, waiting on oneself to do so seems like the only key.”

“The song is energy driven from start to finish. That was our aim from when we began to write it. We wanted to create something different that we feel stands out from others. We blended indie-rock elements and an energy driven punk chorus to portray an eclectic mixture of our creative influences.”

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chxmist (pronounced chemist) is the project of Dublin-based producer Conor Barry. Stemming from years of experience in bands as a drummer, chxmist combines punchy electronic drum lines with ambient textures in this project, running the line between relaxing and club heavy tunes. Previously credited as a producer for acclaimed Dublin rapper FYNCH’s ‘Bookies Pens and Loose Ends’, chxmist has released two well-received tracks in ‘Waiting for You feat. Anna Mooney’ and a remix of TOYGIRL’s ‘Moonlight Velvet’.

The project started during 2020 as a selection of ambient pieces documenting the isolation and loneliness experienced during the first national lockdown. This has evolved into a signature combination of choppy drums and atmospheric soundscapes. Releasing on Faction Music’s ‘Lost Decay’ imprint, chxmist’s latest project ‘Reunion’ focuses on the return to life, reuniting friends, family and dancefloors in a return to normality.

The first track off his debut EP, Fevered, showcases chxmists ability to fuse together ambient textures, melodic arpeggios and complex drum lines producing a punchy melodic spectrum of sound.

Be sure to check Fevered out via Lost Decay on the 19th of August.

https://www.instagram.com/chxmist.dxblin/

https://twitter.com/chxmistdxblin

https://soundcloud.com/chxmistdublin

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtzIczV-Ezp1EKwhOkg7PXw

Galway-based composer and singer Anna Mullarkey bridges the gap between Irish traditional music and ambient sounds of the future, all while telling stirring, intimate stories.

Today, Friday 19th August, 2022 , Anna releases her debut album Falling via Strange Brew Records , reflecting on love in all its forms. The album will be available to order at http://strangebrew.ie/ and all digital outlets.

The album, which was recorded between the Beekeepers in County Clare and Black Gate Studio in her native Galway, also gave Anna the chance to revisit the focus track ‘Damhsa Mall,’ a song originally commissioned for Samhlú-Croí Cruthaitheach . Anna’s voice is dreamy over the steady drone of the accordion. “I wanted to celebrate my partner’s grandmother and her love story,” Anna says. “The song is written from her perspective as she recounts a night where she was brought to a dance on a bicycle wearing a pretty dress as the stars lit up the sky.” 

While this is her first LP record, Anna is far from a newcomer on the Irish music scene. She released her debut EP Spéir in 2020. The Irish Times wrote that it would be “hard not to be impressed” by Anna’s talent, and Irish Theatre Magazine hailed her as “if a sultry ménage of Björk/Billie Holiday/Philip Glass got together at the Wickerman Festival.” She’s previously composed music for plays, short films, and documentaries, including TG4’s intro theme to Cumasc: seisiúin sa Black Gate. Anna weaves a rich tapestry of sound with her honeyed vocals and delicate compositions, transporting listeners instantaneously. Instead of soundtracking others’ stories, though, Falling is a chance for Anna to explore the many facets of human connection and “how we fall in and out of love.”

This love isn’t restricted to romance; the opening track ‘Call It’ touches on a friendship break-up. The liquidy production of Frankie J Pollard evokes the lapping of water on a beach, while a smattering of piano, flute, flutes, double bass, fiddle, and harp flit in and out of the track. Just like these waves of sound, friendships are changeable, subject to their own tides and currents and sometimes ebbing out of our lives.

Anna also found inspiration in the popular Netflix show Stranger Things , with ‘The Upside Down’ documenting what it would be like to travel to another dimension because you are “hopelessly in love” with someone. Swelling, distorted vocals give the sense that you’re on your own immersive journey to The Upside Down.

The album’s heart is ‘Holding,’ which pays homage to Anna’s folk music roots and was written for her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. “It’s a song about finding the strength to be the support for someone else,” Anna explains. Over melodic piano, she implores us to have hope and hold on in the face of adversity. Banjo, bodhrán, cello, and drums rise in the background, likewise lifting up the listener’s spirits.

In the second half of Falling , Anna ruminates on the darker side of love, whether deciding to walk away from a toxic relationship on ‘Tough Love’ or realising a romance has died on the lead single ‘Falling Apart.’ The music video for ‘Falling Apart,’ directed by Anna’s sister Mia Mullarkey, explores this narrative through contemporary dance with dancers Robyn Byrne and Emily Kilkenny Roddy as a couple as they find themselves both bound together while growing in different directions. ‘Please’ is a haunting plea for authenticity, built around a string quartet performed by Ciara O’Connor on cello and violin. Anna shows off her versatility on ‘Ar Buile’ (roughly translating to ‘Furious’ in Irish) by blending trip-hop with acid drum and bass. Predominantly as Gaeilge, she sings about exhaustion and anger as a fuzzy, lo-fi bassline throbs in the background.

The song ‘Uisce’ was originally written for the VR theater show Ar Ais Arís by Brú Theater, featured as part of the Galway 2020 / NUIG Aistriú project. Shimmering, cascading piano entrances the listener before turning somber. “I was moved by the poem by Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill ‘Cuimhne an Uisce,’ which explores identity and place,” Anna shares. “This song brings the album to a more intimate place and explores the heartbreak that happens when you reject parts of yourself. Having grown up in Inishturk for a year when I was young, the theme of the sea has a strong effect on me and I love how this poem brings the sea to life in a new way.”

As the album comes to a close, Anna sings us to ‘Sleep.’ The hypnotic track is anything but lethargic, though, with thumping percussion and playful flute driving the listener to the dancefloor. Anna leaves us with a sense of hope “as night becomes day.”

Connect with Anna Mullarkey

IG | TWITTER | SPOTIFY

Photo: Julia Dunin

As the hazy sun sets on summer, one of Ireland’s most exciting alternative artists, Ailbhe Reddy, returns with her new brass and piano-laden, slow-burn showstopper single, ‘Shoulder Blades’. The new single will be released on Friday 19th August 2022 via MNRK.

‘Shoulder Blades’ is a beautiful, piano-led tale of love taking the listener on a cinematic tear jerker of a journey that is matched by the outstanding CLTV Film-produced video.

The emotion in the song heightens even more in the 2nd phase thanks to the added brass section and running piano.

‘Shoulder Blades’ follows June’s ‘A Mess’ and April’s ‘Inhaling’, completing a trilogy of new singles that showcase the Dubliner’s singular talent and ability to convey a cross-spectrum of emotions through her distinctive music.

Ailbhe Reddy says of the song: “’ShoulderBlades’ was written during a hazy heatwave in Dublin, it is an attempt at encapsulating the quiet love you can feel for someone when you’re inhabiting the same space. Watching how they go about their day, drink their coffee, read their book. Just appreciating being around them.”

The single is accompanied by the release of an official music video, directed by Katie Freeney for CLTV Films. The video stars Sorcha McElroy and Niamh Barry; the latter of whom is a well-known Irish photographer who has taken Ailbhe’s press shots for this campaign.

Ailbhe Reddy is one of Ireland & the UKs great new songwriters, straddling the line between emotional honesty & vulnerability with an uplifting twist that will appeal to fans of Julia Jacklin & Phoebe Bridgers to Tori Amos & Aimee Mann.

Spotify editorial support for previous singles ‘Inhaling’ and ‘A Mess’ include NMF UK, Fresh Folk, Wild + Free, A Breath of Fresh Éire, Morning Coffee, Easy, Rainbow, The Indie List, Shockwave (cover) and more.

Ailbhe Reddy’s 2020 debut album Personal History was nominated for the Choice Music Prize album of the year award in 2021 and singles from that record earned placements on dozens of coveted editorial playlists across Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and Deezer. Radio support and playlisting from the likes of RTÉ Radio 1, 2fm, Today FM, BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 1, to name a few, was complemented by press attention from acclaimed publications across Ireland, the UK, the States and more including The Line of Best Fit (Album of the Week), Pitchfork, Clash, The Irish Times, Nialler9, Hot Press and Dork.

Connect with Ailbhe Reddy

SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | IG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK 

Photo: Niamh Barry

‘You’re On My Mind’ is the latest EP release from Dublin producer Cabin.

Having launched the project with a collection of four distinct singles, Cabin returns with ‘You’re On My Mind’, an EP of reworked versions of the original four tracks.

Complete with crisp drum machines, smooth electric piano, and warm guitars, these raw and moody interpretations are set to ground the songs and create the atmosphere of an expressive live performance.

On the project, Cabin says: “The production of the individual singles were quite dense and elaborate. While that was my intention, this reworking was an opportunity to let the songs themselves come through more and not hide behind all the bells and whistles. ”

Cabin (aka Adam McCabe) began crafting his songwriting and production skills as part of post-punk outfit Brass Phantoms, and has had his music featured on the likes of BBC Radio 6 with Steve Lamacq, Spotify’s Hot New Bands, Clash Magazine, Hot Press, The Last Mixed Tape, Golden Plec and more.

In producing, writing, recording, and mixing his work, Cabin offers a singular artistic voice, yet attempts to push beyond individual limitations into grander compositions. Drawing influence from the classic songwriters, his psychedelic sound is glittered with the palpable anxiety of Post-Punk, and exuberant tenderness of Soul music. His focus is for his music and lyrics to imbue the aspects of modern-day disillusionment and existential dread with a defiant sense of radical optimism and to try to see the colour through the grey.

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