Nialler9 on what to listen to right now: Jape, Bitch Falcon, RiZA, Fight Like Apes

NEW ARTIST OF THE WEEK

Bitch Falcon
Bands have a habit of appearing from nowhere sure but there was something galvanic about Bitch Falcon's sudden presence on the Irish music scene last summer. After a period of male-heavy instrumental rock dominated the discourse in the last ten years, it was refreshing that there even was a female-dominant band with a kickass name rocking out grunge-style at festivals and in venues around the country.

The band's debut single as a four-pieceWolfstooth is an old-fashioned slice of pounding 3-minute riff rock and their latest, their first as the three piece of Lizzie Fitzpatrick, Naomi Macleod and Nigel Kenny (Fia Kavanagh recently left the band), Breed, is a high-octane scuzzy grunge track.

For now, the old style feels new.

SONGS OF THE WEEK

RiZA - Kabembe
Further reinforcing after the weekend that showed just how much Ireland has changed, we also have plenty of music not born of this nation being made here as Sunday's Africa Day also highlighted. Niwel Tsumbu is a Congolese guitarist who has collaborated with the Sinéad O'Connor, Liam O'Maonlaí, and Donal Dineen over the last ten years. His newest project sees him team up with likeminded African/Irish musicians Loah, Feather, Paddy Groenland (Ensemble Ériu, Manden Express) and Eamonn Cagney (Treelan). An album is forthcoming in October.

Fierce Mild – Equal People
Speaking of the referendum, if there was one song that spoke the feelings of the majority in the lead up to it, it came from the Dublin post-punk trio Fierce Mild and their timely-titled Yes n Yes n Yes EP, which featured this fun doozy about equality on it.

Jape – Harrington Street
It's a testament to the reputation and craft of Richie Egan that even his Soundcloud demo and knockoffs are very much worth your time. His latest home-recorded track is as evocative and plaintive as they come.

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

Fight Like Apes – Fight Like Apes
The route to their third album has been as long as a JRR Tolkien book, with the band breaking up with their label and learning how to do it all themselves. That included crowdfunding and hard graft, but the end result musically doesn't feel bogged down by that slog, as the band's self-titled third album might be their most well-rounded collection of-pop culture synth pop punk they've yet committed to record.

Highlights include the Jabba The Hutt-referencing Pop Itch, the bright synth video game music of The Schillaci Sequence, gutsy single Crouching Bees and the swooning slow Carousel.

Whether they can continue along this path career-wise is one thing (that whole money making to live thing is a conundrum) but Fight Like Apes still have lots of fight in them.