Nialler9's New Irish Music: Evvol, exmagician, D.A.R.K. and more

SONGS OF THE WEEK

D.A.R.K - Curvy

This is unexpected. The Cranberries' singer Dolores O’Riordan has teamed up with The Smiths' bassist Andy Rourke and New York producer Olé Koretsky for a new band spurred on by a chance meeting that lead to a collaborative album with three distinct personalities that explore new wave, electronic and pop music.

Science Agrees

is out on May 27th and the first single has a strong bang of New Order from it.

PORTS - Kingdom

How do you like your “emotionally literate rock?” Before you close the browser never to return, hit play on the latest single from the Derry band who were formerly known as Little Bear. Despite the description,

Kingdom

is a richly effective track in the vein of Grizzly Bear. Maybe that's why they changed the name...

Evvol - Physical L.U.V

The Berlin-based pairing of Irish singer Julie Chance and Australian multi-instrumentalist Jane Arnison released a fine album of electronic-tinged alt-pop last year on !K7 Records, After touring with Peaches and YACHT, they have a five-track EP for the label, trailed by this slice of sinewy art pop electronica.

Dylan Tighe - On My Knees

Dublin singer-songwriter Dylan Tighe will release his second album

Wabi-Sabi

Soul in two weeks. Also an actor and theatre-maker, Tighe has lined up two events (see

[ wabisabisoul.eventbrite.com ]

) - on April 26th at Dublin's Light House Cinema and April 29th at DLR Lexicon Library. One will feature surround sound and 3D lyrics, the other will be a headphones-concert featuring musicians who played on the album.

On My Knees

is a lot more traditional than that promised presentation, as a languid guitar groove sets the backdrop for personal rumination. The video harks back to something you might have seen on 120 Minutes back in the day on MTV.

FOX JAW - Do You Want It All?

Limerick rock'n'rollers Fox Jaw make use of baritone vocals and a seedy atmosphere on their new song, their first since 2014's

Ghost's Parade

album. The band have tour dates lined up in Limerick, Dublin and Galway soon.

ALBUM OF THE WEEK
exmagician - Scan The Blue

Danny Todd and James Smith were formerly members of the Belfast band Cashier No.9 until things dissolved quietly. With a new name they return to pick up where they left off with an album that keeps that former band's gift for earworm indie/rock guitar riffs and melody intact. What is new is a wash of psychedelic texture that comes primarily from the employment of a Korg synth and a laser-pointed production that gives the album a clear scope. There's also time and space given to country blues on

Feet Don't Fall,

swampy stoner rock on

Smile To The Gallery

but it's the skyscraping rock of

Job Done

and jangle pop of

Kiss That Wealth Goodbye

that will have listeners returning.

NEW ARTIST OF THE WEEK
BARQ

A newly formed band they may be, but BARQ are seasoned musicians having played with Hozier, Kodaline, Monster Monster, Damien Dempsey, Loah, Lethal Dialect, Ryan Sheridan and Zaska in the past. BARQ takes its cues from a love of soul, R&B and Radiohead. Debut track

Gentle Kind Of Lies

introduces their “Agrosoul” and rides a neo-soul groove with a fierce attitude and a touch of class.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Overhead, The Albatross - Indie Rose

Video by Luke Daly

As a band who make filmic post-rock with orchestral swells, Overhead are perfectly suited to soundtrack some dramatic visuals which is what we get with their new video featuring a disparate cast of Dubliners up to good no good.