Photo: Stephen White (The Last Mixed Tape)
Info: It's been a very busy couple of weeks with Irish single releases and there are a lot more to come in the next week or two as well from some of our favourite acts. For now though we collect the most recent releases from the last week or so, some old faces we are delighted to see bringing out new tunes are Ealadha, Neon Atlas, Bear Worship and Stoat. Enjoy!
We kick off with the magical duo Le Boom and their brand new single 'Don't Need It Now' which was released today. Having witnessed two festival slots this year there is always a point in their set, usually early on, where you disappear down the Le Boom rabbit-hole and become totally subsumed. Descriptions such as hypnotic and dream-like states would get close to describing it. 'Don't Need It Now' catches that feeling perfectly in recording from one of the most exciting Irish electronic acts of the last 12 months.
The unwitting troubadour Paddy Hanna is next with new single 'Mario Lanza', an ode of sorts to the Italian tenor and movie star of the 40's & 50's. Lanza as you can guess was impartial to singing the Christmas hits, and Hanna paints a warming and kooky scene of hanging out with him during the festive season. As always Hanna imparts that shade of black comedy into his song-writing, it's a fun single with a stack of breezy swagger and big-band feels.
Although we reviewed it earlier this week and featured the gorgeous accompanying video, we really felt the need to share BODIES' haunting and beautiful single 'Numb' in case some people missed it. You can watch the video and read the review here.
Carnage merchants Bitch Falcon also released their latest single 'Of Heart' today, the doom-laden track is full of dark and industrial atmospherics. Far more subdued than their earlier catalogue of singles, a newcomer to their music would still instantly recognise that there is a hard-rock beast lurking in the shadows of 'Of Heart'. That primal noise emerges from its cave in the final two minutes of the extended version of the track, which is the one to listen to by the way.
A sure way to blow apart those dark winter moods that are creeping in is to stick on the new single from Stoat, 'Don't Play No Game That I Can Win'. With its dance-hall days 'Rock The Casbah' groove the boogie is strong on this one, and yes there's plenty of cowbell, tonk tonk tonk! A new album is on the cards for early 2018 so don't put away the dancing shoes just yet.
We're huge fans of the sound and noise-scapes created by Cork ambient-rock trio Ealadha and new single 'Bathe' keeps the momentum of last years Limit of Your Sight EP in full rapturous flow. The band have gotten even better at driving their build up toward a searing finale, yes we've referenced it before, but they emulate the crescendo Mogwai used to create in their early days so well.
After a hugely successful 2017, Mullingar pop-rockers The Academic share another sliver of what's to come from debut LP Tales From The Backseat via new single 'Why Can't We Be Friends?'. For me pop-rock can be very hit and miss in terms of how it grabs me, I'd like to think I'm very open-minded when it comes to the genre, but I'm often struck by effortless blandness designed purely for radio-play.
The Academic have definitely slipped into my favoured style, and whilst irrelevant for the purposes of review, they put on one hell of a live show. 'Why Can't We Be Friends?' is what you want to hear more of, and enjoy fully, they make it very easy. Also, while you're here, check out their live version of previous single 'Bear Claws' which has clocked up over 1.7m views on YouTube where the band have circumvented the delay on Facebook Live videos using loops.
After a hugely successful 2017, Mullingar pop-rockers The Academic share another sliver of what's to come from debut LP Tales From The Backseat via new single 'Why Can't We Be Friends?'. For me pop-rock can be very hit and miss in terms of how it grabs me, I'd like to think I'm very open-minded when it comes to the genre, but I'm often struck by effortless blandness designed purely for radio-play.
The Academic have definitely slipped into my favoured style, and whilst irrelevant for the purposes of review, they put on one hell of a live show. 'Why Can't We Be Friends?' is what you want to hear more of, and enjoy fully, they make it very easy. Also, while you're here, check out their live version of previous single 'Bear Claws' which has clocked up over 1.7m views on YouTube where the band have circumvented the delay on Facebook Live videos using loops.
Every Sun.Set.Ships single that comes out I think it's my favourite, better than the last, but I think current release 'Marydoyouwanna' will be hard to surpass. This where the Monaghan electro-indie act have been headed for some time, its their best single to date. From that Paul Simon vocal feel, the soft harmonies and sun-filled rippling electronic beats to the quick guitar picking it's as uplifting as you can get without blasting you out of it with extravagance, smiling.
Regular readers will be aware of the fondness we hold for the music of Dublin's Bear Worship, most recently as our Album of the Month with his debut WAS. From said album he has recently released the single 'Frequency' with flip A-Side 'Post Geographical Orientalism'. "We are just vibrations, tones and modulations, I can hear a cadence, out in the firmament" the lyrics open before being swarmed by a hive of sharp and tinny electro sounds, for a ghostly yet calming affair of wonder.
Back to Cork we go for the new single from Neon Atlas, 'Fever', the indie act invoke the jangle-pop guitar and swirling nostalgia of acts such as The Connells with an indie-rock hue similar to Damien Jurado or Cass McCoombs. It's a sweet rhythmic dirge that mixes a sense of feeling with subtle upbeat rock moments. Finally one we have really enjoyed for many reasons is 'On My Mind' by Dutch and Irish-based folk musician Jane Willow who evokes the bare sound of Joan Baez. Having moved to Ireland at the age of 21 purely to pursue a career in music, Willow has since opened for the likes of Glen Hansard. She is currently working on releasing a debut EP in the summer of 2018 and this single shows great promise which has all of the hallmarks of a bone fide authentic folk artist about to make a mark.
For our previous independent Irish playlist, head along here to listen to Issue #15 here https://thebestofmusicandfilm.blogspot.ie/2017/11/remys-top-10-anna-mitchell-not-monsters-st-bishop-able-archer-nocturnes.html
