Red Bull Music have announced their ‘Free Gaff’, a three-night event across three floors taking place from March 30th to April 1st at a secret location in Dublin city centre. Nialler9 will DJ the launch on the Thursday.
The line-up across the three days looks like this:
Friday
Benjamin Damage (Live)
Mango & MathMan
Fritz Wentink
Special Guest
Krescent AKA Tommy
Holohan
Five to Two
All City Records
Staxx Lyrical
Bobofunk
Saturday
Wyvern Lingo
Palms Trax
Mella Dee
Kettama
Loah
Orange Tree Edits
JYellowL
FYNCH
Hannah O’Connel
Sunday
Or:la
Erica Cody
Handsome Paddy & Bobofunk
Bantum
Neomadic
Luka Palm
JYellowL
Ciara Brady
Tickets for the BYOB event priced at €15 per night are available now via Redbull.ie/freegaff.
Grace Jones, Bryan Ferry, Imelda May, Rag’n’Bone Man, Wyvern Lingo and Gavin James are among the artists lined up for The Summer Series at Trinity College this year.
Here’s a look at the gig lineup:
July 23th: Grace Jones, Wyvern Lingo
July 24th: Il Divo, The Trinity Orchestra
July 25th: Rag’n’Bone Man, Grace Carter
July 27th: Bryan Ferry, Special Guests
July 28th: Gavin James, Little Hours
July 29th: Imelda May, Paradasia
Ticket Information
July 23rd, Grace Jones, €60:45 incl. booking fee.
July 24th: Il Divo, from €54.65 incl. booking fee.
July 25th: Rag’n’Bone Man, €44.90 incl. booking fee.
July 27th: Bryan Ferry, €60:45 incl. booking fee.
July 28th: Gavin James, €49.90 incl. booking fee.
July 29th: Imelda May, €49.90 incl. booking fee.
Tickets for all shows go on sale at 9am next Friday, March 9th via Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.ie
Last year’s summer series featured Alt-J, James Vincent McMorrow, Gregory Porter, Pixies and Bell X1.
Dublin-born rapper Rejjie Snow has finally staked his claim on the international hip-hop landscape with the release of his long-awaited debut album Dear Annie. The album is released under the watchful eye of 300 Entertainment, home to artists such as Migos and Young Thug. Rejjie first appeared on the scene as Lecs Luther, channeling MF Doon and Tyler, The Creator and while he hasn’t left the influences of those artists entirely behind, he has penned a A stylish and polychromatically produced debut record where the vocalists like Portland’s Aminé, London’s Ebenezer and Jesse James Solomon, Norway’s Anna of the North and American singers Dana Williams, Caroline Smith and Jesse Boykins III shine on the hooks.
Rejjie’s choice of intermissions negate the album’s romantic sincerity but there’s much to enjoy here in the vein of a soft glow rooftop down R&B-tinged rap tip. Snow hasn’t quite escaped the shadows of his forebearers but at 24 years-old, he’s finally on a path to showing his own colours. Hear more from us on the album on this week’s podcast.
2.
Wyvern Lingo – Wyvern Lingo
Wyvern Lingo’s self-titled debut album arrives on Rubyworks with much fanfare based on hard work, a regular gigging schedule and crucially, great preview songs. If lead single ‘I Love You Sadie’ is a starting point, then the group spend the rest of the album fleshing out and expanding upon that polished R’n’B sound with harmonius intent and a keen eye to real-world events. Without a doubt, the most exciting Irish prospect at the moment. Listen to them interviewed about the entitlement of Irish male artists of the past in our recent podcast.
3.
Everything Is Recorded – Everything Is Recorded
The modern-day supergroup is a rarity, however, head of XL Records Richard Russell has assembled an impressive team to create this eclectic album. Featuring a plethora of artists ranging from Kamasi Washington to Sampha to Ibeyi to Giggs, with all musical ground in-between covered, the final product is the wonderful and sometimes bizarre Everything Is Recorded. . Don’t go into this album expecting loyalty to any singular genre, Russell instead seems to be concerned only with bringing out the best from the artists on each individual track. When it works, it shines but it sometimes feels a little lightweight.
4.
Car Seat Headrest – Twin Fantasy
Most artists focus solely on moving forward, writing and releasing an album to move on to the next project. Car Seat Headrest’s Will Toledo makes the interesting choice to revisit and re-imagine an old project with this remake of 2011’s Twin Fantasy. The addition of a bigger budget allows some of the lo-fi elements of the original release to be tweaked and upgraded. A worthwhile listen for those interested in seeing how far the group have come over the past seven years.
5.
Imarhan – Temet
Temet marks Algerian desert rock sextet Imarhan’s second studio album. The band’s name, translating roughly into “the ones I care about”, is reflective of the passionate music the group create. Employing a hybrid sound of Western surf-rock guitars with pan-African rhythms and vocal deliveries, this release finds the group sounding more polished than their debut album.
6.
Poliça and Stargaze – Music For The Long Emergency
Setting out to soundtrack the end of the world, this collaborative project between American synth-pop group Polica and Berlin-based orchestral ensemble Stargaze results in a stunning collection of novel music. Released under the supervision of London label Transgressive Records, this short album is packed full of haunting melodies and evolving textures. Landing somewhere between industrial and modernist, the apocalypse has rarely sounded better than on this album.
On the newest version of the Nialler9 Podcast dropping today, we talk new music tracks, the best new album of the week in the form of the Black Panther soundtrack, we chat to Wyvern Lingo about their album and historic male entitlement in the arts, we look at the shortlist for the Choice Music Prize Irish album of the year and relive Kendrick Lamar’s visit to Dublin’s 3Arena.
Conversation is between myself and Ellen Fitzpatrick who also edited and produced the podcast. We hope you enjoy it and do leave us feedback here, on socials and iTunes.
The most essential tracks of the last week handpicked by the Nialler9 team.
1.
Young Fathers – In My View
Young Fathers seem immune anyone outside their clique, operating as a gang who were more interested in offering genuine healing through music that crosses rap, gospel and lo-fi sonics. ‘In My View’ is another idiosyncratic uplifting gem from these outliers, but if there’s anything obvious from their new material, it’s an increasing softness and directness that wasn’t present on their first two records. Their new album Cocoa Sugar is out in March.
2.
The Go! Team – If There’s One Thing You Should Know
The Go! Team are back with a new album Semicircle, which is a return to their exuberant indie jams. And it works. The bandleader Ian Parton travelled across the US and recorded young choirs and brass bands and they add to the genuine schoolyard buzz of the record. ‘ If There’s One Thing You Should Know’ is a giddy highlight from it.
3.
Wyvern Lingo – Maybe It’s My Nature
If you needed further proof that Wyvern Lingo are a band of naunce. They have followed up my Irish song of the year about celebrating the feminine characteristics of a man and vice versa with a song about the reality of monogamous relationships and whether it’s a part of our nature to lust or at least, look to others romantically when you’re in a long-term relationship. A monogamous relationship is often seen as a binary thing and singer Karen Cowley is exploring the buffers of those strict lines – a very nuanced subject for a smooth soul/R&B/indie pop song.
4.
David Kitt – Imagination
Before David Kitt officially releases his album Yous physically, he dropped a four-track EP featuring a track from that and a three new ones. ‘Imagination’ is one of those songs that isn’t just B-side material.
5.
The Golden Filter – End Of Times – Silver Dub
From a dub version of The Golden Filter’s latest EP, this ‘Silver Dub’ version is set up for the dancefloor with an ‘I Feel Love’-style arpeggio synth.
6.
Jay Rock – King’s Dead (with Kendrick Lamar, Future and James Blake)
Kendrick has curated the Marvel Black Panther soundtrack gives us another reason to look forward to its release with this track:
7.
Henry Green – Another Life
An atmospheric pop track from a new Bristol producer who previously featured here with ‘Stay Here’. It’s from his debut album due in March and of the song he says:
“I had a really vivid image/moment in mind when I wrote “Another Light”. I was sat on a silent beach in the early hours of the morning, slightly hazy from the lack of sleep and I wanted to write about the whirlwind of colours and textures, both in the landscape but also in my mind at that moment. So much change had happened in such a short amount of time and I was just reflecting on it all.”
8.
Lone – Temples
Lone releases Ambivert Tools Volume Three, the latest in series of EPs that have been worthy listens.
9.
Rejjie Snow – Egyptian Luvr (feat. Aminé & Dana Williams)
Dear Annie, Rejjie Snow’s long awaited debut album finally gets a release on February 16th. This is a a smooth jam. He plays the Olympia on March 12th.
This track from the Wicklow trio has melodic and vocal similarities to that of Hiatus Kaiyote, with a soothing mix of bass synths and soft drum beats, written in response to the Simon and Garfunkel song ‘I Am A Rock’.
2.
IAMDDB ft Graeme S – You Don’t Know Me
You should already know who IAMDDB is but if you don’t, she is 21-year-old singer-songwriter Diana Debrito from Manchester. Here, she teams up with Limerick producer Graeme S (also of Lakerama / Hsuan Records). The track is fueled with snappy lyrics from IAMDDB almost freestyling over a mix of screeching sounds and ambient beats. It’s one of two tracks that the pair teamed up on the EP. IAMDDB plays a headline show in The Button Factory this Thursday.
3.
Maria Kelly – Hollow
The Mayo singer-songwriter continues to deliver delicate melodies and hauntingly emotional lyrics and vocals on her new track ‘Hollow’. The soft tones of violin throughout the track further more add to the emotive tone. You can catch Maria Kelly live this weekend at Other Voices in Dingle.
4.
All Tvvins – Crash
Dublin duo Conor Adams and Lar Kaye have spent the year moving their music from a stadium-centred rock style to a more exploratory pop sound aided by a new relationship with Diffusion Lab (Soulé, Jafaris). ‘Crash’ is notable for its sombre lyrical content: covering traumatic life experiences – heart attack and cancer. It’s a downbeat and desolate song with Adams’ processed voice not hiding the desolation. The song offers a respite in a chorus that at once, acknowledges the fatalistic but offers hope in its soaring sonics.
Everyone feels great after a haircut but Jake Hurley felt so good that he wrote a song about it and a tongue-in-cheek catchy one at that. The video was directed by Zak Milofsky.
6.
Blue Americans – Bull On Venice Beach
Paris/Belfast duo Daniel Morgan Ball and Kris Platt were former members of Belfast alt-rock band More Than Conquerors. Two years later, they have returned with a very different sound ‘Bull On Venice Beach’ is markedly contrasting in its melodically-coated vocals and bright electro-pop production. A surprising rebirth. They play Bar Sub in Belfast on December 3rd.
‘Enfold You’ showcases a more experimental and developing sound for Wastefellow in comparison to his previous releases such as ‘Wonder’ and ‘Meet Me’. The video was directed and edited by Flann Manning with lighting techniques inspired by the ’60s film Inferno.
8.
Ganiyu TLG & Lui Meme – Vulnerable ft Mike Lawal
Ganiyu TLG started the year with the incendiary track ‘Shivers’ and ends it with this soulful jazzy banger with a video shot in and around the Guinness premises at St. James’ Gate and includes a local misunderstanding on the carriage.
9.
Inner City Radio – Love
A Limerick-based collaboration between Emøly and Sean O’Mahony, Inner City Radio follow up the digital blues of ‘S.O.S’ with a soulful live track ‘Love’.
This track by Dublin native Anthony McGeown is a collaboration with Overhead, the Albatross members David Prendergast and Ben Garrett that builds up slowly with a mix of alternative-rock and ambient pop.
It’s a case of incremental creeping excitement when December and Other Voices approaches Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd December.
Today, OV have announced 3 new artists to play the church itself:
Mount Kimbie Wyvern Lingo Dermot Kennedy
and there are 3 more to be revealed for the church, that is the main stage for the TV broadcast (while it is livestreamed to the pubs). Here’s who’s already playing it.
As for ancillary entertainment, available for all – The IMRO Other Room was announced:
Joshua Burnside
Le Boom
Maria Kelly
Katie Laffan
Katie Kim
Rosborough
Pillow Queens
Slow Riot
there’s also new reveals on the Music Trail, including myself, as I’m playing in An Droichead Beag on Friday night, a repeat of last year’s fun.
The Turning Pirate crew’s annual New Year’s eve gig is a bacchanalia of celebration and collaboration has been running in Vicar Street since 2006. It brings together some of Ireland’s most talented artists and special guests which in the past has meant appearances from the likes of Conor O’Brien (Villagers), Richie Egan, Camille O’Sullivan, Bell X1, Jerry Fish, Declan O’Rourke, The Young Folk, Bronagh Gallagher, Wallis Bird and more.
For Bram Stoker Festival next Sunday night, the gang will turn their attention to things of a spooky variety and a large cast of musicians of an established calibre will perform scary songs and horror movie favourites at the Turning Vampire event including Lisa Hannigan, Paddy Casey, Saint Sister, Adam Matthews, Niamh Farrell (Ham Sandwich), Kier (Delorentos) and Wyvern Lingo. The house band, the Flux Capacitators, work with the artists to create the arrangements and includes Joe Furlong on base and Graham Hopkins who plays drums. A special international guest star will be added to the bill for the festival special edition.
Tickets are €31 from Ticketmaster but I have two tickets to giveaway which you can enter for by emailing [email protected] with your name and ‘Bram Stoker Festival Turning Vampire’ as the subject line before next Thursday 26th at noon.
Wyvern Lingo are having a busy week, not only have they released a new single and video while announcing their next headline show in Dublin, all below, they have also released a new remix of their previous single ‘I Love You Sadie’. The rework adds Afro dancehall pop textures to the song with production by Benza and a vocal assist from Jafaris (who you can see live at the next Future Proof gig in Bello Bar).
The band’s new song ‘Out Of My Hands’ is inspired by Karen Cowley’s experience in Mulligan’s pub the night of the Home Sweet Home demonstration when she met a man who had no time for activism. “She wouldn’t give it a break, crying inequality / Oh the 8th and the state, she’s never happy / Then she said I had ‘no empathy’ towards those refugees / I said that I just can’t see them as a priority.” Wyvern Lingo play Number Twenty Two on South Anne Street in Dublin on Friday 23rd February next year. Here’s the video for the track.
Wyvern Lingo’s‘I Love You Sadie’ is the Wicklow trio’s best track thus far, a slinky slice of R&B pop that digs into earworm territory and works harmonies into a buoyant song about celebrating the masculine in the feminine and vice versa.
Now Kildare mixmaster extraordinaires Mix & Fairbanks have taken the song’s vocals and given them a muted tropical dub-pop lift.
Wyvern Lingo superb’s new song ‘I Love You Sadie’ which addresses male realness now has video.
Following the Wicklow trio’s acoustic video, here’s the full music video directed, edited and animated by the very talented Louise Gaffney (also of Come On Live Long) and the very talented DOP Albert Hooi, who recently directed this great video from Louise’s band.
Catch Wyvern Lingo launch the song on Friday August 25th at The Grand Social.
Last week, Wyvern Lingo dropped their new single ‘I Love You, Sadie’, a song about “loving the feminine qualities of a man, and encouraging him not to worry about fitting into the male stereotype and just to be himself”.
Check out a lovely acoustic version of the song performed in the Hellfire Studios in the Dublin mountains by Christian Tierney.
Wyvern Lingo have released the first single of their forthcoming debut album.
‘I Love You Sadie’ is a soulful R&B pop song with a very modern sentiment “about loving the feminine qualities of a man, and encouraging him not to worry about fitting into the male stereotype and just to be himself”.
Caoimhe Barry, Karen Cowley and Saoirse Duane will launch the track at The Grand Social on Friday 25 August. Tickets priced €17.50 including booking fee go on sale this Friday 30 June at 10am from Ticketmaster.
The single on Rubyworks was recorded in Dublin alongside producer James Kelly, with additional production and mix in London from Neil Comber (M.I.A. / Crystal Fighters), the band are currently putting the finishing touches to the rest of the album.
A new festival to take place by the seaside Enniscrone, Co. Sligo has been announced for 26th and 27th of May and the lineup features predominantly indie, rock, pop. folk and jazz.
The all-ages family-friendly festival will feature headliners like Hothouse Flowers, The Riptide Movement along with Rusangano Family, Wyvern Lingo, Meltybrains?, Interskalactic, The Side Up, Disco na mBo and more.
Weekend tickets start from €100 and Saturday tickets are €60 from Eventbrite.
Full poster below. Win tickets to the festival via the Gleam widget:
Having just released her album At Swim, Lisa Hannigan has has announced an Irish tour for December. The dates are:
December 1st Seapoint Ballroom, Galway December 2nd O’Reilly Theatre, National Opera House, Wexford December 8th The Glassworks, Derry December 10th Vicar Street, Dublin December 12th Cork Opera House, Cork December 16th Limetree Theatre, Limerick December 17th Beaulieu House and Gardens, Drogheda, Co Louth December 18th Unitarian Church, Dublin (all ages show at 2.30pm) December 19th The Empire Music Hall, Belfast December 22nd St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny December 21st An Ghrianán Theatre, Donegal December 23rd Theatre Royal, Waterford
Tickets on sale for all shows Thursday September 15th at 9am from Ticketmaster.
National Concert Hall announced its Autumn season and as part of it, the American drone-based ambient music duo Stars of the Lid will play Sunday October 9th. They will be joined by a crew that includes Luke Savisky, visual collaborator & projectionist; MFO, German lighting designer; Echo Collective (A winged victory for the Sullen’s string ensemble); Francesco Donadello (collaborator); Bobby Donne (from Kranky label-mates Labradford) and support comes from Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh
Wyvern Lingo have announced a headline show at Button Factory on December 3rd. In the meantime, they are supporting James Vincent McMorrow on his Irish dates. Tickets for The Button Factory cost €17.50 + fee and are on sale today from TM.
Here are all of their dates coming up:
November 24th Mike the Pies, Listowel, Kerry 25th INEC, Killarney, Kerry 26th Roisin Dubh, Galway 27th Cypress Avenue, Cork
Saint Sister are playing a unique headline show on November 5th at Dublin’s Christchurch Cathedral. Tickets from €19 + fee from TM.
Lyra will make her Irish debut Upstairs at Whelans on 4th October. Tickets €13 inclusive of booking fee available from Ticketmaster.ie and outlets from Wednesday September 7th at 9am.
Vinyl & Wine, the vinyl listening club is to to exclusively premiere David Bowie’s lost 1976 album, The Gouster on Thursday, September 22nd in The Liquor Rooms. Tickets on Eventbrite now from €15.
Keaton Henson, the brittle English folk singer-songwriter is set to play the Olympia on Saturday February 11th 2017. Tickets for the seated show from €34.50 including booking fee and restoration levy on sale now from Ticketmaster.
Brian Deady is playing headline show at St Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny on Saturday December 17th. Deady recently signed a major label deal on the back of his excellent Non Fiction album. Support is from brother Colin Deady. Tickets priced at €17.50 plus booking are available from www.tickets.ie and Rollercoaster Records, Kieran Street, Kilkenny. Tickets on sale now. Doors 7.30pm.
Cathy Davey has released her new album New Forest today (album of the week for the Irish Times) and she’s embarking on a tour as follows.
