The Summer of Love.

Andrew Darley talks to Cut Copy frontman Dan Whitford about the band’s new album, Free Your Mind, and his thoughts on dance culture.

“Once we’d finished writing all the songs for the record we noticed that “free your mind” was a repeated lyric through various songs, and it seemed to sum up a general feeling behind the record.”

Cultural mash-ups.

Andrew Darley talks to Sasha Perera about her new project Perera Elsewhere and her debut solo album Everlast.

“I think the music does take you somewhere else because it’s quite atmospheric and sucks you in quite fast. I like to think that I’ve been taken somewhere else and so I’m taking the listener there too. It’s an idealistic concept that there is something or somewhere called ‘Elsewhere’ which has nothing to do with harsh reality.”

[rating=4]
Released September 29, 2013
Lava Diviner (Truestory) is an album of carefully crafted soundscapes woven together into a satisfying narrative.

“Twelve songs weave and contrast various textures and temperaments across the album, that is both playful and engaging.”

The Spirit of Uprisings.

Jenny Wilson talks about her album Demand The Impossible and the personal struggles that this record explores.

“I wanted to write about these two topics, but at first I didn’t know how to connect them. Suddenly I realized that my own body was a society itself, and the society a body. Both full of illness, bad things, happiness, wilderness, fighting spirit and fire.”

Words Are Dead.

Agnes Obel talks about singing songs of private emotion in public, and how she always talks music with Dublin’s taxi drivers.

“It’s a beautiful experience to make something and then somebody else sees something in it that you didn’t see and makes it his or her own. I also like the idea of people doing covers of my music and see the songs grow on their own.”

[rating=5]
50 min • Unitarian Church, Dublin • October 18, 2013

A laid-back stage presence and sparse arrangements made for a mesmerising performance from Deptford Goth.

“The concert is a perfect was to spend the blustery Autumn evening; the heartfelt pitch of the cello, Daniel’s tender vocals and the glistening electronics spreads a warmth amongst his audience.”

In The Shadow of Pinochet.

Andrew Darley talks to Julia Tarnoky about playing gender neutral in Juan Radrigán’s play Children of Fate.

“It is certainly exciting and part of the challenge is to realize and portray an unconventional character’s traits and aspects conventionally so that they can be translated to a live audience, and vice versa to realize a conventional character. It is about making the ordinary, extraordinary and the extraordinary, ordinary.”

Production Value.

Andrew Darley talks to Jessy Lanza about her love of music, and what it’s like for a woman to be a producer in a man’s world.

“The public can be sexist about what they consider women can do in music. It isn’t a huge surprise to me though, people see me and think “Oh you’re a musician, you must be a singer”. I’m always pretty quick to correct them..”

[rating=5]
Released September 30, 2013
Aventine is a beautiful, subtle and detailed album. It is a worthy successor to the double-platinum Philharmonics.

“It seems appropriate that Obel should choose an ancient word of ‘Aventine’ to represent this album. There is a timelessness and air of history to these songs, whilst remaining very much in the present. It reflects on both time past and wishes hope for the time to come through its lyrics, which feels both meditative and romantic. .”

[rating=4]
Released September 16, 2013
Stay / True is a showcase of a rising artist’s passion. An accomplished and fulfilling record

“Stay / True shows Fort Romeau moving away from the house-focused sound of his debut, in favour of trying out new styles. Whilst still finding his own identity and sound, he is able to create accomplished statements like disco-stomper ‘Trust Me’ and the title song.”