Wish I was there...

I hate seeing things like this:




...and to think she only gave birth a few weeks ago, some woman.

Four Tet/Burial Collaboration???

Apparently there is a split 12" on the horizon comprising of the works of Burial and Four Tet. This is damn exciting but as always with the Burial aura there is a shroud of mystery. There is no artwork, no promos....nothing really apart from being called Moth/Wolf Club. Oh and it sold out in a day via Bleep. Here's hoping another batch will be released.

R.S.A.G live @ Dolans, 22 April

I hit R.S.A.G in Dolans(upstairs) last night and what a performance it was. I had only heard Jeremy Hickeys material prior to the gig through his studio recordings and was damn curious to see how he emulated this material onstage. The performance surpassed my expectations big time. It wasnt just music being displayed, it was art in its most universal and creative form on show.

Through the use of a Gorillaz-esque visual display (courtesy of Paul Mahon), Hickey adds the components for each track that are not drum orientated (be it bass, piano etc.) through impersonations of himself playing the insruments on the screen behind him. These visuals run in tandem to Hickeys flawless drumming. This man has the skills to play the bloody bills. The drumming and overall instumentation was superb. The music he composes is quite intricate but at the same time very soulful. I felt my feet constantly tapping the floor not knowing exactly what to do themselves, much like a frenzied game of hopscotch.



RSAG - Days Go By (Live) from mrpaulmahon on Vimeo.

Mirah - (a)spera

I got wind of theis album a tad late but upon discovering it I made up for it by giving it a prolonged listen. Mirahs fourth studio album (a)spera is a bit of a gem, bringing the listener on an expedition of the soul. This is delivered through a soft yet enticing voice (quite similar to that of Cathy Davey) and wonderfully natural progeressions in the music, elevating both emotion and intensity. The World is Falling is perfect example of this. Explorations into other musical cultures is evident in Country of the Future. Mirahs grittier side is banged out in Forest and The River.

This is one for the listen over brunch

Ebony Bones - The Muzik

Really liking this tune at the mo-dirty disco at its finest...

DM Stith to play Roisin Dubh

The captivating DM Stith is set to play Galways Roisin Dubh on Friday May 22nd. This gig should not be missed as it is also set at a recession freindly price of 0 euros!

Boxcutter - Arecibo Message

Arecibo Message, released on Planet µ records, is the third album from Barry Lynn (a.k.a Boxcutter). The Lurgan man yet again delivers a clever and fascinating body of work. The intricate compositions associated with his previous work are still in play that make the listen a tantalising experience. This time around Lynn deviates the tunes with a subtle yet distinctive groove or funk, not usually heard of in the Dubstep world. Track no.4: Spacebass is a clear indication of this refreshing direction. Altough maybe not for the casual listener, Arecibo Message is a great listen.


Here is track no. 10 of the album: Otherside Remix (Earth is my Spaceship)

Electric Picnic 2009 announces first wave of acts

Well well well, the EP boys have conjured up quite a tasty bunch of acts for this years festival. It does lack the heavy hitters that would grab your immediate attention but on the whole the line up is riddled with quality acts. The mighty Orbital are a must see along with the antics of Madness. I do hope they put Zero7 on for an early slot on the Mainstage on Sunday so as to lure me back into an able capacity. Credit must be given for the superb range of Irish acts on offer, namely Jape, Halfset, Villagers, and Lisa Hannigan. I am not so sure about MGMT though, hearing them at least 8 times a day via somebodys ringtone has driven me to detest them.

Anyways so far so good, and with more to come this year could very well be up there as one of the festivals better years(like 2005 and 2007)

Heroes of Popular Wars

The Heroes of Popular Wars have mad my ears tingle with intrigue from the moment I heard their small but delightful collection of tunes. The Brooklyn two-piece are Stephe(aka the "Blue Eyed Devil") and Rory(aka "DJ Red Cent"). They are almost ready to release their first record titled "Church and McDonald" and have allowed the public access to a generous free sampler to be availed of here

Have a listen and you will become engulfed in rich spacey landscapes like that of M83 bunched with flashes of other-worldly sound clips. Enjoy

The Dead Weather

I am really looking forward to see what comes of this latest indie-rock supergroup. The Dead Weather consists of Jack White, The Kills' Alison Mosshart, Jack Lawrence of the Raconteurs and Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age. That's a highly credible and intrigueing congregation of musicians. They have just announced their first public show set for April 14 at NYC's Bowery Ballroom. Sure they would be a grand addition to this years forthcoming Electric Picnic would'nt they?

This is a fairly rapturous indication:

The Ropes - Be My Gun

The Ropes are a two piece indie group from NYC consisting of vocalist/bassist Sharon Shy and multi-instrumentalist Toppy (known for playing drums with the guitar hanging around his neck. Their forte is to open up lifes confusion's and problem's for debate and clarity.

Be My Gun epitomises this mission, shall we say. The engaging message is delivered in tandem with an infectious ryhthm (this strong ryhthm may be attributable to the fact that much of their work has been produced by Nic Hard of The Bravery) that evokes a slight resemblance to the sound of Garbage back in the day. The Ropes are kind of what The Gossip would sound like minus the flamboyant loudness of Beth Ditto.

Tenaka

I came across this superb artist recently but forgot to post anything about him until now on this Monday evening come down after a week that involved a birthday, Amsterdam and randomness.

Tenaka is the moniker of Ronan Carroll,a Limerick man now residing in Galway whose music has been described as:

the clockwork rhythms of Plaid, the folky sensibilities of Fridge, and some hushed singing

His "EPonymously Titled" EP is available for free download on his Myspace here

Its a surprisingly captivating collection of material. The first track Aint Nobody brings the listener into a hazy, almost sub-concious state through Carrolls vocals. What follows is an alluring lo-fi journey which could fly the Irish flag in the cozy world of Folktronica. The sounds played are subtle but have this determined power that allow them to leave a pleasant imprint in the listeners mind. A perfect accompaniment to a nice hot chocolate with cream imo.