SOME of Ireland’s most well-known talent dropped news and new music as the yearly release cycle begins to heat up, and new labels look to celebrate the past and capture the future in this week’s article.
The most pressing matter comes from the Fontaines D.C. camp, where news of a new album was released. ‘Skinty Fia’ was formally announced alongside a live performance on American talk show The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and the debut of their newest single ‘Jackie Down The Line’. The Dublin-born and now London-based quintet’s third album in three years, and time will tell if the cup of ideas still runneth over. With an American tour to back them up, one can only assume we’ll get an answer sooner rather than later.
And with this announcement shaking up a usually derelict music month, further news from the South will be of interest to music makers. Hedge School Doolin, a music conference born from the mind of local producer Simon O’Reilly, will take place at the end of the month in the Clare Hotel and is “an eclectic mix of music, writing, spoken word and film, including performance, workshops, interactive art installations, film-screening, interviews and more.
Aimed at creators and writers, this conference represents a chance to learn, collaborate and display upcoming works.
Speaking to the press, O’Reilly said: “Our goal is to support and foster artistic re-birth. We aim to create the conditions in which innovation, experimentation and risk can thrive, where artists, their labour and ideas are respected and where under-represented artists are given a platform to flourish creatively.”
Featuring workshops from acclaimed producers Dáithí and Batum, performances from Myles O’Reilly and Enda Gallery and a host of screenings and displays from local artists, this is a can’t-miss event. SPRINTS’ new single ‘Little Fix’ features alongside the best rock releases in the country at present
News of two new labels spread over the past week. All City Records have announced a sub-label under the name Arís which will celebrate the dance and rave culture of 90s Ireland.
Expect some physical reissues of some of your favourite tracks in the near future (get it from Bandcamp). Then in Derry, TOUTS manager Mark Holden announced a joint venture with the Modfather Paul Weller. Big Man Records has yet to announce what brand of release to expect, but like everything out of Derry, we can expect the best.
And even with all of this to contend with, Fontaines are not the only ones on the newsreel this week. CMAT, Ireland's international sad pop-star/country singer released the next single from her upcoming debut album ‘If My Wife Knew I’d Be Dead’. Written on her lunch break at an old job in Manchester, the misery guts country-pop of her newest tune celebrates the ties and humanity that gets us out of bed in the morning. Meanwhile, Dublin punks SPRINTS give us a surprise drop with their new single ‘Little Fix’. The third single released since their debut EP ‘Manifesto’ the jangly distortion and tightly-wound vocal delivery hangs with the best rock releases in the country right now.
And with great releases from the likes of NewDad and Silverbacks as well, it was hard to decide where the spotlight ultimately fell this week. But the output from the Irish independent sector was too great. First off is the track ‘Pirate’ from North Dublin act Sundown. A glazed, heat-haze psychedelic track led by its keys and percussion, it's a welcome return from the quartet. Then we have the newest from Lucy Gaffney, the grunge-pop number ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’. Hypnotic vocals and spacey, slack acoustics give this record its flow. Co-written by The Coral’s Bill Ryder-Jones, it starts Gaffney’s New Year off with a bang.
And finally, we have the latest from Heart Shaped. A dream-pop project from Belfast’s Kendall Bousquet, the devil is in the production here. Its lo-fi nature gives a gorgeous, miasmic ring to the acoustics, bolstered by the meandering vocal performance from the writer. Debuted on Yeo Magazine, we can only hope the next track is soon coming.
