Explore my site

GoldenPlec • 15th April 2021

Other Voices 2019 | Live Review

On a weekend where the bitter frost descended on Dingle, the picturesque port town in South Kerry shone brightly through the night sky, and once again showcased everything that makes Other Voices the musical event of the year every year.

Be it Geaney’s Yard, McCarthy’s, Nelliefred’s, or Neligan’s, the spirit of Other Voices, and the sense of freedom it brings to both patrons and artists alike, was to the fore across all venues. The sound of joy and laughter, as well as sing-alongs that filled t

GoldenPlec • 15th April 2021

Denise Chaila - Go Bravely | Album Review

The last time Limerick, then part of Thomond, was ruled by royalty was in 1543 when Murrough O’Brien surrendered his royalty to King Henry VIII. It may have taken almost 500 years and a global pandemic but someone has finally taken up the crown.

Step forward Denise Chaila, the new Queen (or Pharaoh as she’d prefer) of Limerick and the shining light throughout one of the most turbulent times in Irish music history.

‘Go Bravely’ is the first solo project from Denise Chaila, who in the past has a

GoldenPlec • 15th April 2021

Arlo Parks - Collapsed in Sunbeams | Album Review

“I did have a period of time where I allowed myself, almost, to grieve for the year,” Arlo Parks revealed in the BBC Radio One mini-documentary capturing the creation of her debut album, “I would have had, especially as an emerging artist, I had that fear that I’d be forgotten.”

Arlo Parks, a 20-year-old poet/songwriter/singer, went into 2020 with high expectations. Having just been awarded BBC Introducing’s Sound of 2020 award, she had a tour of Europe booked for the spring and a summer of fes

GoldenPlec • 15th April 2021

Offica | Plec Picks 2021

2020 will forever go down as a breakthrough year for Irish drill music. The genre, characterised by its mesh of hip-hop beats and punk/grunge aggression, originally came from the south side of Chicago, where it launched the careers of Chief Keef, Lil Durk and G Herbo. Over the past number of years, the sound has migrated to the UK, where artists such as Headie One, Russ and Chuks have played key roles in pushing the genre forward to a more mainstream audience. As its audience grew in the UK, a s

SD • 15th April 2021

Why Versatile are problematic —

It was around 7pm last Friday that news slowly began to spread that they’d done it. Versatile had become the first Irish hip-hop act to sell out the 3Arena. They had finally reached the pantheon of what many believed to be possible, following their shows at Electric Picnic, Longitude and Cork’s Live at The Marquee (which also sold out in hours). They had achieved what many artists could only dream of. Little did they know what was to come, as within 48 hours of this announcement, Versatile were

SD • 15th April 2021

Jar Jar Jr: Ireland’s SoundCloud prodigy —

Despite what you may have heard, SoundCloud has never been stronger. From launching the careers of artists such as Post Malone and Kehlani to causing parliamentary unrest in Turkey, for a while it looked as though the popular streaming site was set to close its doors. Following the failure of its SoundCloud Go model of revenue in 2017, it seemed for all the world as those it was a case of when rather than if the site would cease to exist. That was until Chance the Rapper stepped in and tweeted t

SD • 15th April 2021

JESUS IS KING: The gospel according to Kanye West —

‘Jesus is King’ is Kanye West’s ninth studio album, and follows its predecessor towards the lowest ebbs of West’s career. As doubt, confusion, and disappointment come to the fore once more, one question rises highest above a myriad of others: is West ever able to redeem himself? And even if he could, is he willing to take the time to do so?

The run-up to ‘Jesus is King’ was relatively tame compared to Kanye releases of late, with a distinct lack of controversial quotes and political upheaval th

SD • 15th April 2021

Interview: Malaki talks new music and 'Butterfly Boy' —

It’s been a year since the pair started releasing music under the Malaki name. With Harris on vocals and Mulligan rapping in tandem, it started off on SoundCloud, with the release of Call Us By Our Names, followed by Love Through A Cigarette and J.A.C.K. (Featuring Luz on vocals). The tracks documented life in Dublin, and touched on topics including heartbreak, suicide, mental health and the ability to dream. Slowly but surely, Malaki was building one of the strongest and most consistently impre

SD • 15th April 2021

‘L.O.S.S.’ and Found: How Dáithí was discovered by Sony and nominated for a Choice Music Prize —

How did the Sony deal come about?

I was just playing gigs, they picked me up and we signed a deal. It was the classic story where I, as a young lad, signed a development deal. I thought at the time “Cool I never have to do anything again, this is easy, everyone’s going to do everything for me now I finally made it” which obviously turned out to be total bullshit.

It is the dream that everyone is sold, that this is how you make a successful career. Usually an artist will come and do that stuff,

SD • 15th April 2021

Fia Moon talks new 'Let This Go' single and more —

This success, and her skills as a performer, lead to her part in Irish music’s biggest event of the year in EPIC and RTÉ’s ‘Songs From An Empty Room’, and her inclusion in one of the most important tracks of the year, with Irish Women in Harmony’s cover of The Cranberries ‘Dreams’, which raised money for the Irish domestic violence centre Safe Ireland. Following a successful performance at Ireland Music Week, where she was tipped by many as an artist to watch for next year, her tracks have also