Dekmantel today released a video that let their lineup out of the bag and it’s a good one.
The video in question doesn’t make it easy to get the acts – with an audio-only reaming off the lineup that will be hitting the festival from the 1st to the 5th of August in and around Amsterdam. Here’s most of what we picked up:
Lineup
Orbital
Four Tet
Helena Hauff
Shackleton
Objekt
Thundercat
Lena Willikens
Terry & Gyan Riley
Tangerine Dream
DJ Stingray
Cashew
Charlotte Vendix
Palms Trax
Sassy J
Tim Hecker
Yves Tumor
Detroit In Effect
Identified Patient
Silent Servant
The Bug
Voiski
Regis
Special Request
Young Marco
John Talabot
James Holden
Dam Funk
Phase Fatale
Laraaji
John Maus
Or:la
Shanti Celeste
Carl Craig Presents Versus Synthesizer Ensemble
Tom Trago
Goldie & Randall
Donato Dozzy
Randomer
Call Super
Mount Kimbie
DVS1
DJ Bone
Oscar Mulero
Dekmantel Soundsystem
Tickets
Dekmantel Pre-register ticket sale starts January 24 at 12:00 CET. General Presale ticket sale starts January 25 at 12:00 CET. Tickets will be available through Dekmantel.com.
Forbidden Fruit has announced the first names for its 2018 edition.
The festival on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham and IMMA, will return in June Bank Holiday 2018 from June 2nd to 4th.
Via a billboard in town and their website, the festival has announced the first six acts to play the traditionally separate Monday lineup (usually older than the festival as a whole).
The acts are:
The War On Drugs Grizzly Bear Warpaint Thundercat Superorganism Spoon
Tickets are available from €64.50 + fees for the Monday only and €109 + fees for two days or on Ticketmaster.
Tickets
Monday Day (4th) 1st Release – €64.50
Two Day Weekend (Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd) ON SALE NOW 1st Release – €109.00 2nd Release – €119.00
Three Day (Sat 2nd, Sun 3rd, Mon 4th) ON SALE NOW 1st Release – €162.50
Album number four from the Perth electronic trio asks some urgent questions about the world we’re tending to. Electronic arrangements are often used as escapist fantasy soundtracks, and PVT have explored that vein in the past. While New Spirit pulses with transportive rhythms rooted in the 80s synth sound, the sentiment is of the personal looking outward, of a changing country of Australia, like other places in the globe, increasing in intolerance. It’s a dystopian view, one that includes digital evolution, a public homicide (Murder Mall) and environmentalism. Highlights: ‘Another Life’; Morning Mist, ‘Rock Mountain Bend’, ‘Kangaroo’.
Clock Opera returned with album number two last week, four years after their debut album failed to reach the audiences it deserved. Venn arrives on League of Imaginary Nations / !K7 with more baggage than before (it was inspired by a miscarriage) so the default reach isn’t always the anthemic, but there’s an impressive weight to this introspective textured electronic pop especially in its first third. Whether it’ll capture an audience in today’s noisy market feels like a slimmer chance than ever, which is a shame. Highlights include ‘Whippoorwill’, ‘Changeling’ and ‘In Memory’.
The jazz-funk falsetto-flouting bassist’s new album has a hangover. “I feel weird… I think I left my wallet at the club,” he sings on ‘Captain Stupido’. We begin with fever dream regret, delve into The Fear assisted by technology and desires to be a cat. Yacht rock stars Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins reduce the panic with smooth 80s vocals. A whimsical song about how great Tokyo is, and a song about being in the friend zone also lighten matters. Despite guest names like Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa and Pharrell, Drunk is thoroughly a punk-drunk jazz odyssey tinged with heartbreak. Highlights: ‘Bus In These Streets’, ‘Walk On By’,‘Friend Zone’.
Arguably UK Grime’s biggest star. 23 year-old South London MC is poised to surpass the hard-graft of relative old-timer Skepta with his debut album. Leading with the big hit single ‘Big For Your Boots’, the surprise about Gang Signs & Prayers is that it’s not as tough as it appears with soft sung ballads replacing Stormzy’s trademark yelp on tracks like like ‘Blinded By Your Grace’, the NAO-featuring mid-tempo synth boom bap of ‘Velvet’ and Kehlani and Lily Allen-featuring piano ballad ‘Cigarettes & Cush’. It doesn’t always work in earnest like on the laboured metaphors on that track and ’21 Gun Salute’ and the best songs are when Stormzy is rhyming to a stabbing sinogrime beat as on ‘Cold’, ‘Big For Your Boots’ or ‘Return Of The Rucksack’.
Favourite tracks: ‘Cold’, ‘Big For Your Boots’, ‘Shut Up’.
South African musician Cherilyn MacNeil’s first album in four years, Day Fever, shares the spirit of Sufjan’s Illinoise phase – pastoral orchestral folk with a choral harmony thread and a female voice at its centre. It’s pleasingly retro in tone, like discovering an unknown 70s album smudged with modern techniques.
Ever had one of those potential relationships that were heading towards the friend zone, that you were just DONE with the pretence?
Thundercat knows the feeling. When you can he’s looking at the screen waiting for you to hang up? He’s rather be playing Mortal Kombat. And please, stop calling after 2am. ‘Friend Zone’ was produced by Mono/Poly.
01. Rabbot Ho 02. Captain Stupido 03. Uh Uh 04. Bus In These Streets 05. A Fan’s Mail (Tron Song Suite II) 06. Lava Lamp 07. Jethro 08. Day & Night 09. Show You The Way (feat. Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins) 10. Walk On By (feat. Kendrick Lamar) 11. Blackkk 12. Tokyo 13. Jameel’s Space Ride 14. Friend Zone 15. Them Changes 16. Where I’m Going 17. Drink Dat (feat. Wiz Khalifa) 18. Inferno 19. I Am Crazy 20. 3AM 21. Drunk 22. The Turn Down (feat. Pharrell) 23. DUI
Now, he has gone straight to the source for the latest song from his just-announced debut album Drunk by enlisting Michael ‘Doobie Brothers’ McDonald and Kenny ‘Footloose’ Loggins for ‘Show You The Way’.
Pure Yacht rock.
Drunk is out on February 24th on Brainfeeder and also features appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, Wiz Khalifa, Kamasi Washington and Flying Lotus. ‘Them Changes’ is also on the record.
Thundercat was introduced to Loggins by keyboard player Dennis Hamm. Loggins then suggested bringing “These are guys that I’ve listened to and where I felt that I’ve learned that honesty in the music. Kenny Loggins is one of my favourite songwriters I think one of the most beautiful moments was realising how amazing Michael McDonald is. He would go through so many ideas and have so much to offer.”
Thundercat also notes: “That song to me is about going down the rabbit hole, taking you to another place… On the edge of dark, there’s the brightest light. It means a lot to me in the sense of… the experience that I’ve had growing up with friends and people that I’ve been around where it’s inviting them into where I come from emotionally. Sometimes it’s a pretty intense thing. The point is how weird things can get. I feel like it’s very funny that, in a way, of course Michael McDonald and Kenny would be there.”
Thundercat – Drunk Tracklisting
01. Rabbot Ho 02. Captain Stupido 03. Uh Uh 04. Bus In These Streets 05. A Fan’s Mail (Tron Song Suite II) 06. Lava Lamp 07. Jethro 08. Day & Night 09. Show You The Way (feat. Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins) 10. Walk On By (feat. Kendrick Lamar) 11. Blackkk 12. Tokyo 13. Jameel’s Space Ride 14. Friend Zone 15. Them Changes 16. Where I’m Going 17. Drink Dat (feat. Wiz Khalifa) 18. Inferno 19. I Am Crazy 20. 3AM 21. Drunk 22. The Turn Down (feat. Pharrell) 23. DUI
Here are some gigs that were announced in recent days.
Thundercat, the singer, bassist and all-round dude who has been working with Kendrick Lamar and releases on Brainfeeder is to play Vicar Street in 2017 on a World Tour on Monday March 27th. He’ll play live with Dennis Hamm (keys) and Justin Brown (drums). Tickets on sale Friday from €27.90 + fees.
The Redneck Manifesto are to play two 2017 shows with support from Paddy Hanna on February 16th in Whelan’s and Feruary 18th in Dolans Limerick on 18th. Feb – Paddy Hanna plays in Dublin. Tickets on sale this morning at €18 + fees from TM, Wavtickets or Dolan’s.
Car Seat Headrest, the creators of one of the critically-acclaimed rock albums of the year are to play live at Whelan’s, Monday March 27th 2017 Tickets €18.50 including booking fee go on sale Friday December 9th at 10am from Ticketmaster.
Dream pop experimentalist Wild Nothing plays Whelan’s, Dublin on February 28th. Tickets on sale now priced €18.50 (incl booking) from Whelan’s TM & outlets nationwide
Tonstartssbandht (tahn-starts-bandit) are Andy and Edwin White, two “boogie, ’60s psychedelic-rock, and choral pop” loving dudes from New York who are playing The Workman’s Club on February 23rd 2017. Tickets priced €15 on sale now from TM
Follow the Nialler9 New Music playlist on Spotify. This week’s additions include new songs from all the below along with Cassius, Indian Wells, Jagwar Ma, Sundai, Bon Iver and more.
Grabbing you by the scruff of the neck with a classic Andre 3000 Atliens sample, ‘War Ready’ is a James Blake-produced track from Stapes’ new Prima Donna EP that is rough and ready.
3.
Hazel English – I’m Fine
Swooning indie synth pop anxiety. Californian-based Australian singer-songwriter and indie musician Hazel English makes hypnagogic indie pop music that comes from a place of guitar band roots. The 25 year-old has a debut EP coming on Marathon Artists/Canvasback in October and following on from the impressive title track, I’m Fine’ is a song about anxiety (“For most of my life I’ve felt a sharp uncertainty/ Now it’s just become a part of me.’) that is shimmering and summery in delivery.
See also: ‘Never Going Home’
4.
Carriages – Moving Parts
The Irish folktronica duo create magic from found objects.
Harry Bookless and Aaron Page’s brand of field-recorded folktronica makes for a unique rhythm. ‘Moving Parts/ was made from some interesting sources: drain pipes, gravel, puddles, branches and a starter melody that features Harry’s three year-old nephew Alex singing. it’s wrapped up in a lush tune that nods to Bronksi Beat while sounding like Four Tet.
5.
Thundercat – ‘Bus In These Streets’
A breezy 70s-style song about modern technology.
Thundercat has grown in stature recently, for his work with Kendrick Lamar and his own tunes like ‘Them Changes’.
‘Bus In These Streets’ is a song that sounds like a breezy 70s TV theme but is actually about technological dependence in the 21st century. It’s also a bit yacht-rock in tone.
The song is a once-off single out now that also features Louis Cole (keyboards, drums, programming); and Steve Ellison aka Flying Lotus (programming, editing).
6.
Phillipi & Rodrigo – ‘Mantra’
Soulwax’s label DeeWee is essential listening these days.
As proven by this recent Beats 1 show, Soulwax are well and truly back to the top of their game. Their label DeeWee has knocked out killer tunes by Emmanuelle, Bolis Popul, Asa Moto and Phillipi and Rodrigo, a Sao Paolo duo. Their first release ‘Gueto De Gent’ featured a Twin Peaks reference and here, the pair build up a mantric percussive electronic groove.
Thundercat has grown in stature recently, for his work with Kendrick Lamar and his own tunes like ‘Them Changes’.
‘Bus In These Streets’ is a song that sounds like a breezy 70s TV theme but is actually about technological dependence in the 21st century. It’s also a bit yacht-rock in tone.
The song is a once-off single out now that also features Louis Cole (keyboards, drums, programming); and Steve Ellison aka Flying Lotus (programming, editing).
Lamar and his band played a To Pimp A Butterfly medley (or “The Very Horny Caterpillar” as Colbert called it) on the second episode of Stephen Colbert’s tenure at Late Show filling in permanently the big boots of Dave Letterman. It was a powerhouse of a performance, featuring the tracks ‘Wesley’s Theory’, ‘Momma’, ‘King Kunta’ and ‘u’ and performed with a tight band that includes Anna Wise, Bilal and Thundercat.
Forbidden Fruit is upon us. As requested by some, here are my 10 tips for bands to see to get the most out of your weekend in Kilmainham. Plus, stage times and a Spotify playlist. Enjoy your weekend and check the gig guide for the weekend’s FF afterparty details.
Saturday
1. Flying Lotus 3D Show / Thundercat & Captain Murphy
The Undergrowth Stage: 9:15pm – 10:45pm / 7:45pm – 8:45pm
Stephen Ellison’s music has always had a visual imaginistic quality to it. His jazz-inflected electronic beats conjure up shapes and forms on its own so for him to push it forward into an actual A/V show makes sense. Forbidden Fruit will be the Irish debut of the 3D Show, which is pretty well explained in the video below.
As for Captain Murphy, Flying Lotus’ alter-ego showed he can rap too, as heard on 2012 mixtape Duality, a cult-leader pitched-down collection of Quasimoto-style hip-hop. He’ll be joined on stage by his good friend Thundercat, presumably in his role as a bassist first and foremost rather than a singer or solo performer.
2. Lisa O’Neill
Original Stage, 4:30pm – 5:30pm
One of the most original, idiosyncratic and Irish voices we have in music at the moment, it’s good to see O’Neill get such a prominent slot at an Irish festival. Her second album Same Cloth Or Not, was filled with the Cavan lady’s personality and her colloquial mannerisms. Her folk voice is scrappy yet lilting, tinny yet commanding; that’s to say it’s not for everyone. As a performer though, O’Neill is also commanding, and very funny; she knows how to spin a story or two.
3. Fuck Buttons
The Undergrowth Stage, 6:15pm – 7:15pm
Brutal in its mechanism and industrial in its rhythms, Slow Focus, the third album from Bristol duo Andrew Hung and Benjamin Power was as uncompromising as the pair have got. Previous albums relied on an ambient strain of repetitive euphoria that saw that track ‘Olympians’, wisely enough, used in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012. In a live context, they combine all of that in a barrage of low and high frequencies that leaves you elated and bruised.
4. And So I Watch You From Afar
Original Stage, 6pm – 7pm
Surely you’ve seen ASIWYFA live by now? They’ve been on constant tour since they began that it had to happen. So you’ll know you’ll be at this to witness a set from one of the best live bands in any country – the Belfast lads rip through the instrumental rock rulebook with a fervour that is only matched by their latest album’s sunny uplift – perfect for a festival so.
5. Girls Names
The Undergrowth Stage, 9.45pm – 10.45pm
Also from Belfast, Girls Names’ took a step towards a bolder, more gratifying sound on their album The New Life last year eschewing the jangly surf-rock of previous releases for a more distinctive and thematically unified sonic palette of post-punk, kraut and new wave. It means the band’s live set is a head-nodding mood-piece of some of the most evocative guitar sounds drawn from the late ’70s/early ’80s period of rock music.
Forbidden Fruit announced six additions today to the festival taking place on June Bank Holiday weekend. acts added today:
Wild Beasts, Captain Murphy (Fly Lo’s rap alterego), Thundercat, Kid Karate, The Range and To Kill A King.
Saturday:
The Flaming Lips, Bell X1, Flying Lotus 3D show, F*** Buttons, Nils Frahm, Thundercat, Captain Murphy, The Young Knives, Kid Karate, To Kill A King, Vann Music plus more to be announced
Sunday:
2 Many DJs, Wild Beasts, Warpaint, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Public Enemy, Little Dragon, Gold Panda, Klangkarussell (live), The Range, Brian Deady plus more to be announced.
The 7-day gig guide to Dublin music and events this week.
Highlights: Hard Working Class Heroes, Thundercat, Charles Bradley, Cocorosie, Bonobo, Solar Bears, The Grand Social 3rd Birthday, Julio Bashmore & Jay Z. Nialler9’s Weekly Dublin music guide →
Just in time for Summah, it’s the latest podcast featuring a solo run from me (Aoife is a bizzy lady at the moment). 14 songs taken from recent and greatest releases this year and beyond.
Podcast artwork by 
