What do you get when you put Lil Yachty, Avalanches & Passion Pit in a beat blender?
Soft Boy Records came on my radar via a mixtape of beats featuring label founders Kojaque and Kean Kavanagh along with Wastefellow, Brame. Brién and Matt Finnegan. Their latest release introduces a new Dublin-based artist Henry Earnest, who has operated under the name Dr. Duloc and with the banf Ro Gang. ‘Good Day’ is a… Read more »
Posted on August 22nd, 2017
Hear Sean Price's 'Negus' now.
MF Doom has announced a new weekly single series on Adult Swim featuring music from upcoming releases that will run for 15 weeks and feature DOOM along with others. The Missing Notebook Rhymes series is described as a “notebook” of upcoming releases and singles by other artists featuring DOOM including Jay Electronica. Here’s the first… Read more »
Posted on August 8th, 2017
Lolawolf & Warpaint members team up for some punk rap.
There haven’t been many Beastie soundalikes over the years because it’s hard to recreate the magical chemistry that Mike D, Adrock and MCA had in their rhymes and production. But there’s no doubt that Brookyln group CRW$HD (CREWSHADE) are channelling the Beasties’ early to mid ’90s styles as heard on Check Your Head and Ill… Read more »
Posted on August 8th, 2017
New rap from Cork.
Cork artist Jay Ronic’s music is inspired by Afro, trap and hip-hop alike so it makes sense that the new artist would combine all that in a new track that takes Future’s ‘Mask Off’ and puts an Afro twist on it. Beat by Alvin Brown beats with additional vocal production and mastering by GMC It’s… Read more »
Posted on July 26th, 2017
The Word Up Collective artist addresses racism and oppression.
Upcoming Irish rapper JyellowL just dropped ‘Cold In The Summer’, a seven minute track detailing the issues that effect him as a young man of Nigerian / Jamaican heritage growing up in Ireland. “The title is a euphemism for racism, black oppression, police brutality and death”, he says. “It is an artistic reminder that racism… Read more »
Posted on July 5th, 2017
Bob Gallagher directs the new clip.
Rusangano Family have debuted the Bob Gallagher-directed video shot in Clare for new single ‘I Know You Know’ which addresses mental health and features Rusangano Family, Naoise Roo, Linda O’Connor, Sarah Joy McDermott, Eamonn Elliot, Elaine Mai, Sam Burton, Lisa O’Flynn, Kate O’Shea, David MacNamara, Aoife O’Donoghue and Eavan Brennan. “The track is about how… Read more »
Posted on June 16th, 2017
The Truth About Irish Hip Hop is out in July.
The Truth About Irish Hip Hop is an upcoming documentary, Directed and produced by Gavin FitzGerald & Mark Hayes, examining the state of Irish hip=hop in 2017 and features interviews with Rusangano Family, This Side Up, Mango & MathMan, Fifth Element & Doublescreen, Jafaris, Ophelia MC, myself and more. The Truth About Irish Hip Hop… Read more »
Posted on June 9th, 2017
The Choice Music Prize winners drop their first new song since Let The Dead Bury The Dead.
Rusangano Family will follow up their Choice Music Prize winning second album Let The Dead Bury The Dead with their first new song ‘I Know You Know’. The Limerick and Clare trio release the new track on June 16th but are serving the song to the public ahead of their Forbidden Fruit appearance (stage times… Read more »
Posted on May 29th, 2017
From Edgar Wright's upcoming film.
Danger Mouse’s song from Edgar Wright’s forthcoming film, Baby Driver features Run The Jewels and Big Boi on the track. ‘Chase Me’ is a triumvirate rap caper from the film’s soundtrack which has 30 tunes on it. Both Killer Mike of Run the Jewels and Big Boi appear in the film too. Danger Mouse: “Edgar… Read more »
Posted on May 18th, 2017
The mixtape comes with a zine by Rejjie too.
Rejjie Snow this morning released The Moon & You, a debut mixtape and free download. It trails his full-length album to come later this year. The Dublin rapper’s mixtape features ‘Purple Tuesday’ which dropped last week and features Joey Bada$$ & Jesse Boykins III. Much of the mixtape is produced by Benjamin Miller with Cam… Read more »
Posted on May 17th, 2017
"The only man on a label still on Dublin bus."
Kojaque is a Dublin rapper who has been making music for several years via Youtube videos and Soundcloud posts. His style is downbeat, jazzy and suited to late-night lounging. Last week, he followed up his involvement in the Soft Boy mixtape and his Sunday Roast mixtape with ‘Wifi Code’ a song that feels like a… Read more »
Posted on May 2nd, 2017
The group's album highlight gets a video by Gavin Fitzgerald.
This Side Up are a Sligo trio that dropped an excellent album of West Coast (of Ireland) hip-hop in November. ‘Billy No Mates’ is an easy highlight from the LP, I said it “sounds like a Jurassic 5 throwback production” originally. Watch the fun video by Gavin Fitzgerald of the track above. This Side Up’s… Read more »
Posted on April 18th, 2017
MF Doom and Danger Mouse's album came out in 2005.
Danger Doom’s The Mouse and The Mask, the 2005 collaborative album between MF Doom and producer Danger Mouse is getting a reissue in a 3-LP deluxe format. I wrote about it 11 years ago. I’m old. The original album was a successful collaboration which weaved interludes and inspiration from Adult Swim TV show characters like… Read more »
Posted on April 11th, 2017
The Cork hip-hop artist is making big plans.
The Cork hip-hop artist formerly known as Young Phantom, now Outsider YP has released his new track ‘Saddest Day’ accompanied by a video shot in Hong Kong featuring fashion designer and aspiring model Sai Wing. The video was directed by 3JBK, a team of videographers and video producers based in Hong Kong. That city’s otherworldliness… Read more »
Posted on April 3rd, 2017
With Run The Jewels in town, here are 10 of my favourite El-P beats.
I’ve been listening to EL-P since the days of Rawkus Records (and subsequently famously denounced the label), since the days of SoundBombing compilations, since Cannibal Ox, since he ran Def Jux, through his solo material and of course, his crowning relationship with his cohort Killer Mike, as Run The Jewels. They have an alchemy that… Read more »
Posted on March 30th, 2017
Casa Bacardi announce Electric Picnic stage times
Win VIP tickets to the sold out Carl Cox & Hot Since 82 gig @ CHSq Belfast with Smirnoff
Peace Pagoda area reveals lineup for Electric Picnic; hear two commissioned ambient mixes
Second Steely Dan & The Doobie Brothers Dublin gig added
Giggs, Tale Of Us, Le Galaxie, All Tvvins, Tiga, Rusangano, Clark & more added to Electric Picnic
Body & Soul Bandstand lineup announced for Electric Picnic
Here are the DJs playing Three Ireland’s Disco stage at Electric Picnic
Electric Picnic 2017: Trailer Park announce lineup
8 gigs & clubs to see in Cork this weekend
Electric Picnic 2017: Jerry Fish Electric Sideshow, Heineken Live Your Music stage & more announced
