Blogger turned musician, Shane Culloty, has just released his EP The Wisp Sings. The Dublin-based singer goes by the name Winter Aid. The title track below is both visually and audibly stunning, no words I can write will give it any justice, so just watch and listen.

The 3 track EP can be bought here.

The Styrpes have been on the radar since they formed in 2011 and are already a huge hit. The incredibly effortless and talented band consists of four guys between the ages of 15 and 17, all hailing from Cavan. These guys offer a more back-to-basics sound of blues and rock n roll. Coupled with their recognisable sound is their strong visual aesthetic that even got them noticed by Vogue. For some bizarre reason they get compared to One Direction, presumably because of the age similarity and being grouped under the generic term 'boy band', but The Strypes see 1D as "purely just faces'' and refer to their music "candy floss pop". The Strypes, on the other hand, are so much more than this. They really know their stuff and are clearly something very special. More likely comparisons are to the early day The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. When you listen to their music you are immediately transported back in time and as well as this these teens have undeniably great stage presence along with a mastered unique sound. Their music and looks are completely their own, not like alot of other groups out their today. It's fair to say that there isn't any band like them right now and especially at such a young age. The band signed a record deal with Mercury Records in December and have already many famous fans including Elton John who claims "they’re like a breath of fresh air." They recently appeared on 'Later...with Jools Holland' and continue to wow audiences everywhere.  Overall, The Strypes convey ridiculously cool vibes. While we almost lost any kindle of hope in rock n roll, The Strypes have restored our faith.

COVE'S THE WORD

Introducing;Ireland's freshest electronic duo. Cove are not unsimilar to Crystal Castles, though lets hope that I don't get a kick in the face at one of their gigs. The Tipperary natives have just released their first EP, which is available to stream and download on bandcamp. Each track is really annoyingly catchy, which I think is one of the key factors in any successful record. I keep finding the songs stuck in my head and wanting to go back and listen to them over and over again. It's so hard to choose a favourite but I love the feel of 'Slow City'.  It's nice to have a male electronic duo with vocals, as there's not many of them around and I'm very much looking forward to seeing the Cork-based duo live. I've been waiting to hear this EP with a while now, and does it live up to my expectations? Well, not really. It's actually so much better than I expected. I must say, definite stars in the rising!

r a f f i k i

If you're looking for some lovely, catchy music - look no further than Raffiki. The exciting emerging Dublin-based band show great potential with their mesmerising songs and undoubted talent. They've just played Other Voices Music Trail in Derry and are set to play a number of gigs this coming March, so you'll be sure to see more and more of Raffiki in the upcoming months. Take a listen to their latest track, 'Hollow Charm', below.

The boys are back in town

There's a lot of anticipation surrounding Two Door Cinema Club's new album. Its been only two years since our homegrown indie trio released their first album Tourist History, this time round their new album takes a subtle turn towards more soothing tracks. Beacon is one album that we can be guaranteed to go down well with fans. You can hear that TDCC are increasingly becoming more comfortable and at ease with making new music. The songs contain sweeter melodies than the first and as a whole it's less explosive. There's no distinct climax in the album but a kind of intimacy between each track. Comparing the two albums is rather inevitable yet it doesn't give Beacon the justice it deserves. The album itself may take some getting used to when Tourist History was such a hit, but I think these songs prove just as catchy after a bit. Though it's difficult to choose the best track out of all 11 tracks, my favorites are "Spring", "Next Year" and "Settle". One of the most known and catchy tracks on the album is "Sleep Alone", as it's already been played repeatedly on Irish radios. In my opinion, Beacon lives up to all its hype. It might not be as upbeat as Tourist history but it does maintains the high quality of unique sounds.

To sum it up in a couple of words- they've done it again. Good news for Irish fans, TDCC are playing two Irish dates; 20th September 2012 and most recently announced the 19th January 2013. Beacon becomes available for purchase on September 3rd. Catch a listen of TDCC's album here.

Voices // Hush War Cry

So, it's finally come around. The EP release of the very lovely Hush War Cry. They were the first band I blogged about and rightly so, I can't believe how well the four guys have done. They have worked so hard to get a flawless EP and deserve credit for what they've accomplished in just a year. I've been waiting to hear the EP with quite some time and I'm glad to say it lived up to the hype that was swarming it. The band's music can be described in two words: delicate and dreamy. I'd advice everyone to take a listen to the 5 track EP named Voices and let their music allure you into a trance, like it does for me. I can ensure you that your ears and mind will be very pleased. This is just the start for Hush War Cry, and what a start.
You can stream the EP here and below is their first and pretty beautiful video for the track "Apparitions".

Voice of Ages

I was really looking forward to hearing the full album, and after I purchased it and listening to it over and over again, I must say it lived up to its expectations. I've always been a fan of The Chieftains since I was quite young as I've always had a strong interest in traditional Irish music and so this was a real treat to hear. It's never a surprise who The Chieftains collaborate with because they always seem to get it right. This album was no different. My favourite tracks are Lily Love, Down In The Willow Garden and Carolina Rua. But then there is School Days are over, My Lagan love and Hard Times Come Again No More. You can't really flaw the entire album because it's so original and true to its authenticity. In this regard, there are traditional sounds coming through on all of the tracks, more so on the latter ones in the album, which accommodates for a wider audience. Genres are broad also, with the likes of country, folk, rock etc. Voice of Ages is just as promised, very special. Don't judge it or categorize it as typical Irish 'didlee-aye'. Listen to the whole album and you'll see what I'm talking about. It marks The Chieftains 50th anniversary and they should be proud with such an extraordinary release.