State faces of 2014

face s of 2014

featuring 20 new Irish artists including

Hozier

FACES OF 2014 (in alphabetical order)

The Artists

The Photographers

AFFLECK BEACH BLADES CLUB CARRIAGES THE CLAMEENS FLOORSTAFF GO WOLF HOZIER JOSHUA BURNSIDE LIZA FLUME AOIFE McARDLE MOSCOW METRO OVERHEAD, THE ALBATROSS PRINCESS SELK SIMI CROWNS MARIA SOMMERVILLE TALKBOY TVVINS UNKNOWN

Cﾃ！T FAHEY PHIL FISK RICH GILLIGAN OLGA KUZMENKO JASON McCARTHY MARK McGUINNESS FRANCES MARSHALL (Click for website links)

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Intro

Another January, another batch of talented Irish artists set to make the coming twelve months a joy. If that sounds blasé, it’s not supposed to. Instead it’s the realisation that this island will always be capable of producing incredible talent. The Faces of 2014 list is no exception. It’s led, perhaps unavoidably, by our cover star Hozier – the architect of one of 2013’s defining records. But that’s just the start. Our twenty artists this year (including video maker Aoife McArdle) cover all the musical bases and come from across the country.

Not only does this publication include the words of these talented artist though, it also features some exceptional images taken in both Ireland and the UK especially for this very publication by State’s bank of ludicrously talented photographers. We have been working with Rich Gilligan and Phil Fisk in London since day one, while the newcomers to State (with the girls outnumbering the guys now) deliver more and more with each shoot, and knocked us sideways in putting actual faces to this year’s Faces. Enjoy what follows and see you in 2015.

Listen to State’s compilation featuring all 20 Faces here.

Web links are underlined.

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Maria Somerville

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Maria Somerville textural music from the experimental west Photographed for State

by Jason McCarthy

Describe yourself and your music: Tones and textures with electronic flourishes. Hard to describe it just yet, still evolving, but it’s definitely becoming more connected with my surroundings, particularly my home village of Cornamona in Galway.

Who or what inspires you?

Listening to music and discovering new music. I got great inspiration at an early age from my uncle Michael’s voice: it was so haunting and enchanting that you could see people and feel yourself getting lost in song.

A few years on, I started listening to old civil rights anthems, soul, R&B; all the belters really inspired me and would later influence my writing.

Other forms of inspiration are as varied as the stories of other musicians and their struggles, to the landscape around where I grew up. If I get stuck on something I’m already working on, I’ll whip out one of Brian Eno’s oblique strategy cards or find inspiration from my mates.

How did you get started making music?

I was playing blues and jazz standards for years and never really had the confidence to write my own stuff.

My mate Leon told me about a Music Technology course in the Galway Technical Institute, that was a game changer. I started writing and recording my own stuff and building up a small studio set up. Initially, it was hair pulling as technology was not my forté, but once I got past that I started to have fun and experimenting along with my long term and current collaborator Paul.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Jon Hopkins, hit me up yo.

What’s your best song and why?

Each song has a different meaning to me, written at different times so it would be hard to choose one.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

Started playing my own songs to people for the first time not only in public but in places I’d been to for the first time.

Best show you played in 2013?

Been really lucky to play in some beautiful spots with some sound heads: Hard Working Class Heroes at The New Theatre, supported David Kitt and John Smith at Roisin Dubh shows, did my first gig in a gallery curated by Aoife Tunney with Ickis Mirolo, Tadhg O’ Sullivan, Ed Devane and The Third Policeman and really enjoyed playing Electric Picnic with the lovely people at Block T, but I’d have to say that a tiny gig I did in Donegal run by Bluestack Records, a little pop-up restaurant Ealainn Bia was really simple, organic and as intimate as it gets I reckon.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Crafting the live set, making more and more music and hoping to release something. I’m in my first year of a degree programme at BIMM, looking forward to progressing and learning more.

Visit website

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“She just comes across like she was born to play music. In fact, we should add her to our list of people we’d like to collaborate with. Stick her in there between Björk and Kate Bush” –– Carriages

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Carriages

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21st century musique concrete Carriages photographed for State

by Olga Kuzmenko Describe yourself and your music.

We came from two different musical directions and decided that it might be fun to try and make our two styles fit together. Aaron comes from the more conventional side of songwriting, and Harry writes music made from found sound and field recordings. Our two styles seem to mix quite well and the music that has come out of it seems to be quite accessible to people, at the same time as introducing them to something new.

Who or what inspires you?

Harry - I get inspired by conversations I hear on public transport and on the street. I go through periods of carrying a small recording device around in my pocket so I can record interesting conversations I hear and slot them into songs. I was over in New York a couple of years ago, and I took my pocket recorder up to the Bronx Zoo and just stood next to people and recorded what they had to say about the animals. New York is the mecca of great conversations and insane quotes. I suppose it’s quite intrusive, but by the time they make it into the songs they’re unrecognisable. Apart from that, I’m always blown away by some unexpected chord sequence or any note in a song that takes my by surprise.

How did you get started making music?

Harry - Music has always been important to me. I can still remember my granny buying me Thriller on cassette when I was about four and learning every word to every song on the album. I saved up all my 50ps for months, until I had enough for a double album called The Michael

Jackson Mix, which wasn’t even a real Michael Jackson album, but it introduced me to the wonderful world of Motown-era Jackson 5, which I still love. The next album I bought was The Real Thing by Faith No More. I started playing music soon after that. First on the piano and then the guitar. I made my way through grunge and punk and onto the likes of Fugazi and eventually onto Warp Records and Morr Music. I’d like to think that all these influences ended up in Carriages.

Aaron – I’ve been told that I was a child with a deafening scream and the only way to make me quiet down was to give me something to make noise with. It started off with bags of crisps that I’d mash into sound, then it progressed to a little red toy guitar that played ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Harry – The obvious ones for me are Björk and Kate Bush, but who doesn’t say that? I really like the Matmos and the Books. The list is endless. David Byrne. Forget Bjork and Kate Bush …

David Byrne.

Aaron – Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. Just to share a stage, play guitar and sing some harmonies on one of his songs would be as good as it gets for me. Or maybe to collaborate with Prince and have a song make it into the infamous ‘Prince Vault’.

What’s your best song and why?

Harry – ‘Good Hearts Don’t Get Forgotten’ means a lot to me because the sounds in the song were recorded in a friend’s house who I’ve known for a long time. I basically grew up in the house, so the song always brings me back there.

Aaron – For me it’s ‘Iron & Fire’ as it shows how quickly something can be written and really strike a chord with people. Compared to the other songs

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on the EP, which were written over a period of six months or so, ‘Iron & Fire’ was written in a heartbeat and seemed to come together all by itself. I wrote all the lyrics and melody for it on first listen, and it’s one of the few songs I’ve written that I wouldn’t change in hindsight.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

We found a place to write and rehearse that used to be a morgue. It was part of a surgeon’s college. If we were in any way spiritual we might be terrified, as the fridge that they stored the bodies in is still there. Way down the corridor is a radiator that makes a loud bang every twenty minutes or so, just to remind us that a zombie apocalypse is always worth being prepared for.

Best show you played in 2013?

The Spirit of Folk festival was our first show. The organisers are good friends of ours so it meant a lot to play at it, and to open our live account in a forest was really special. But as far as the quality of our performances went, it has to be Hard Working Class Heroes.

Everything just seemed to come together for us that night.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Everything seems to have crept up on us suddenly as a band in 2013. A last minute decision to become a live band for Hard Working Class Heroes has led to one great thing after another, so we’re looking forward to having a chance to write and release new music. We’re going to try a few new things with the second EP and then take on the mountainous challenge of writing an album. And my sister is having her third baby.

Visi Visit website

Cork duo living up to their name.

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Aoife McArdle

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Aoife McArdle filmmaker by day, day dreamer by night.

Photographed for State

by Phil Fisk

Please describe yourself and what you do: I’m a filmmaker and writer, primarily working in music videos and short films. I think I’d describe myself as a full-time day dreamer so making films might be one of the only suitable jobs for me...

How did you get started making music videos?

After I left film school I moved to London and through friends I met working in music, I was given the opportunity to pitch on a few bands.

I always put a lot of effort into visualising films when I pitched.

Eventually someone took a chance and gave me a job.

Who or what has influenced you?

So many things. I’m a film fanatic who spends an unhealthy amount of time in the cinema but I think my own work is primarily influenced by every day life, then writers, poets and artists. It’s quite a long, eclectic list but Faulkner, Philip Larkin, JG Ballard, Francis Bacon and Flannery O Connor always re-emerge as cornerstones for me.

Photography also plays a big part in my work, I think. I’m always collecting images wherever I go, whether that be as photographs or visual memories.

Anyone you’d like to work with/ collaborate with?

I’ve always wanted to make a video for The Fall because I’ve liked their music since I was a kid but mainly because I think working with Mark E Smith would be a trip. Right now, I’d like to make a video for Rejjie Snow. Do you think we can make this happen?

I think we could do something interesting together.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

So many strange things happened to me this year that strange just became the norm. I spent most of the year filming in US deserts so maybe that explains it.

Work of your own you’re most proud of from 2013?

I’m proud of everything I’ve made this year because I’ve only been committing to projects I really believed in rather than those that were more financially rewarding but if I had to choose one, maybe my ‘Open Eye Signal’ video for Jon Hopkins because despite the small budget, it was a track that allowed me the opportunity to reimagine the music video landscape a little. I’m pleased that people I respect got on board with that.

What are you planning/looking forward to this year (2014)?

I’m excited to throw myself in the deep end and try my hand at writing and directing a feature. Overall, just to make meaningful films for artists and clients that inspire me.

Visit website

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Beach

taking psychedelia to a warm and fuzzy place.

How would you describe yourself and your music?

We’re all pretty chilled out, and that reflects in the music we play. We got together less than a year ago, so working on a sound has been exciting.

The music has a spacey, psychedelic feel; its also really atmospheric, which makes it very enjoyable to play live.

Who or what inspires you?

Being around like-minded people helps; the Irish music scene is constantly growing, so it’s great to be around so much talent. And getting into strange/weird situations seems to be a weekly occurrence, so that helps too. We all have different musical tastes; we take our main inspiration from Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Nirvana, Joy Division, the Walkmen and King Krule.

How did you get started making music?

We met in college a few years ago, played together a few times and clicked really well, so we decided we’d start a band. It’s all been easy sailing since then, and it helps that we’re pretty relaxed about the whole thing.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

There is so much talent going around the Irish scene that we are pretty spoiled for choice. I’d like to collaborate with Ben McKenna again at some point. Doing something with Terriers would be cool or getting some alternative instrumentation like strings or brass.

What’s your best song and why?

‘Howlin’ at the Moon’ is the best to play live, it definitely gives off the most energy. I mostly like the newest song we have written because it’s usually a fresh emotion and it’s also great playing new songs live.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

Finding out that people like our music! It was strange to see people we’ve never met before at our gigs and talking about us online. It made us feel all warm and fuzzy!

Best show you played in 2013?

I think our EP launch at Junior Spesh.

The atmosphere was amazing and it was the first time we played with visuals and live synth, it was a pretty special occasion for us!

What are you looking forward to this year?

Gigging! Playing live is what we love to do. We want to play with more great bands, keep improving our set and hopefully get our songs heard by more people and just have lots of fun.

Visit website

Overhead, The Albatross

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Overhead, The Albatross too many cooks? no chance Photographed for State

by Frances Marshall

Describe yourself and your music: We are six* people who can’t seem to get rid of each other and instead of talking or socialising we spend our time in a studio writing music.

Hopefully our music reflects some mesh of all the vastly different influences we all carry with us.

Who or what inspires you?

This is difficult because all six of us have different reasons for being in the band. When things get difficult, musically, usually one or more of us will go that extra step to motivate the others and often enough those difficult to write parts become the strongest. Sometimes the challenge of a particular piece spurs us on, it can be really rewarding to make something like that work.

When Ben, our drummer, was asked about this question, this is what he had to say: ‘It’s ALL smoke and mirrors. Trickery. Skullduggery.

Angled mirrors. Sleight of hand.

Rabbit out of the hat shite.

How did you get started making music?

It all happened after a series of frustrated phonecalls from Stevie and David. We certainly weren’t a dream team of any description, it was probably more of a sympathy vote! We all cut our teeth in other local bands, although Luke had never played a gig before. Coaxing him up onto the stage was like the sheep dog trials.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

We’re all going to have different answers for this, somebody is going to say Craig David. To be fair to him, the lad has cracking pipes. It’d be pretty sweet to get Steve Garrigan (Kodaline) into the studio for something or other.

Oh, wait. I choose Regina Spektor.

What’s your best song and why?

It’s probably the same for most bands, but looking back on old songs is never as rewarding as working away on something new. The songs on the forthcoming album are the result of writing, rewriting, learning new ways of writing and then writing them again. Those are the ones we hope will be our best songs.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

Having to miss Electric Picnic with a broken shoulder was a strange and horrible feeling. The band made do and they seemed to have a ball. We played the Picnic in 2012 without Stevie and that was really odd. There’s some otherworldly powers at play here for sure, maybe we can get it together next year.

Best show you played in 2013?

Festival season was great this year.

It was probably Body & Soul or Castlepalooza. It was our first time playing the main stage of any festival so Body & Soul was pretty special. A couple of us have been going to that festival since it began and it’s easily our favourite one in the country.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Releasing the album is the big one.

Everything we’re doing at the moment is geared towards making our album happen but it’s not going to be real until we’re holding copies in our hands. We have a lot more to put into it but we’re all roughly on the same wavelength now. Being happy about it is very important to us, so we’re taking our time. * Band member Stevie Darragh not pictured.

Visit website

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“Too many good musicians in the one band” –– Talkboy

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Joshua Burnside

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Joshua Burnside quantum mechanics, love and death, all in a day’s work Photographed for State

by Olga Kuzmenko Describe yourself and your music: I am a 24-year-old folk/rock/ experimental singer songwriter from Co.Down, Northern Ireland. My sound can vary a lot from song to song but notable influences include Tom Waits, Mark Kozelek, Joanna Newsom, on the singer-songwriter side of things that is, but all chewed up with clicks, thumps, distorted bass and whatever else I thought worked at the time.

Who or what inspires you?

Well, the last song I wrote explored various different ideas about time.

Science in general is quite a big influence on a lot of my lyrics, but I find inspiration in all the usual stuff too, love, death, nature etc.

How did you get started making music?

I just picked up my dad’s guitar one day, strummed a few chords, wrote a few lines and decided pretty early on that this was what I wanted to.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Dylan? Realistically I wouldn’t mind writing a few tunes with fellow Northern Irish songwriter Ciaran Lavery; he’s got this torn up voice that I think would suit some of the songs I’m writing at the minute better than mine.

What’s your best song and why?

Well, that answer changes day to day, but I’m pretty happy with my last single ‘Black Dog Sin’. It was very cathartic to write, I had been building up to it for a while.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

I got the opportunity to play in ‘the pit’, so to speak, for a play back in February. There was seven of us crammed onto this tiny stage dressed as hillbillies, I had this great fake handlebar moustache. I’m sure weirder things have probably happened, but that just sticks out in my memory for some reason.

Best show you played in 2013?

My EP launch was a pretty good show, we played ‘Black Dog Sin’ blindfolded just for the craic.

What are you looking forward to this year?

I’m looking forward to a gig I’m doing as part of Belfast Music Week at the Oh Yeah Centre. We’re planning on doing a few new songs, and we’re going to go for a more electronic live sound. The whole thing is going to be recorded and filmed and at the end every audience member gets a CD of the performance to take home.

Visit website Joshua Burnside was shot at “parts4cars.ie” (aka Westlink Recovery Services Ltd). Thanks to Peter and the staff for allowing us to use their premises.

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“Doing something subtly different to the standard Northern Irish singersongwriter” –– Go Wolf

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Moscow Metro

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Photographed for State

by Olga Kuzmenko

unspeakable tragedies in a metal box, not for the feint hearted Describe yourself and your music: We have been described as post punk revival/shoegaze. I think our music deals with things that we don’t talk about from day to day. Our generation and our fathers’ generation were taught not to talk, to bury things deep. When you first hear a great band releasing what is personal to them and finding yourself connecting with it, it inspires you to begin making your own music. To take something that is buried deep and to try and release it is the highest aspiration when writing music.

Who or what inspires you?

Our music is influenced by films, writers, poems and art. I started reading Walt Whitman’s complete works recently and some Brendan Kennelly works so these will influence the writing no doubt. Technically everything is an influence, even films and songs that you don’t like will influence your music. Sometimes a great source of inspiration is being confronted with exactly the type of things that depress you or make you angry, it epitomizes the notion that what you may feel is wrong. If you mean musical influences then great bands like Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cure, The Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, The Velvet Underground, The National, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Replacements, Joy Division to name a few. I think they all share that feeling of hope and despair.

How did you get started making music?

We started working on our music when we located a rehearsal space in a storage warehouse. The room was a ten foot by ten foot metal box that shook when we played. This is what inspired the name Moscow Metro.

We wrote our first songs there but left after a few months because of the freezing cold. No matter how many jackets you wore it would creep into your body and you would get sick eventually. We have since had to return to the metal box.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Every piece of music we make is a collaboration between four minds, it’s an amalgamation of all our experiences.

What’s your best song and why?

‘Spirit of a City’. There is an urge to release something that is concealed within contrasts and I believe that this is typically how we express ourselves as a band. Of the songs we have yet to release I would say either ‘Future Fades’ or ‘Revelation Night Drive’ because they achieve these contrasts that Moscow Metro strive for, there is something buried within the songs.

These songs have a feeling of weary indifference yet they are vehemently pushing back against the world, there is hope. ‘Spirit of a City’ is first song that was written collectively by MM and it was inspired by certain tragedies that were occurring in the city around us at the time. At this very moment in time there are volunteers patrolling the Shannon for suicide attempts every week. In my opinion ‘Spirit of a City” is more relevant than ever.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Really looking forward to our first international gigs. We are playing the Maifeld Derby 2014 festival in Germany plus a few other gigs there, too. Also, we’re looking forward to releasing our debut E.P which we are currently working on.

Visit website

Hozier an interview

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Hozier Photographed for State by Rich Gilligan Interviewed for State by Steven Dunne

irish music as it will be The future looks bright for Andrew Hozier Byrne. Leaving behind the year which saw him go from student to music sensation, the erstwhile Trinity Orchestra lead vocalist is now a bona fide contender for the face, nay, voice, of 2014. The unexpected success of ‘Take Me To Church’ was undoubtedly aided by Brendan Canty’s heartfelt video treatment, but it is Hozier’s voice and musicality which brings him to the attention of the not only State, but the music press at large.

Google his name and watch the plaudits line up beneath it like groupies at a gig; each vying to express just how bright the future is for the Wicklow native.

Having released his debut EP in 2013, shrewdly made available via download for whatever price the buyer wanted to pay, Hozier watched his efforts come in for some lofty praise from good and great of the music world. Furthermore, Stephen Fry, yes that Stephen Fry used his ubiquitous Twitter influence to promote a hitherto unknown Hozier’s video, thanks in part to it’s powerful stance against homophobic laws currently blighting Russia. Apropos of nothing, however, is Hozier’s talent and ability to write beautiful, touching and soulful songs, the likes of which have rarely come from Irish music. Matched only by a voice that can illuminate the darkest night of the soul, State found out how it has been for the man at the centre.

“This last year has been amazing. Finishing as I did with gigs in the Pepper Canister, which is very much still an old church, was great. We required quite a lot of power for those gigs and at one point I boiled a kettle backstage and blew the fuse-box entirely. We lost juice in the majority of the sockets and fair play to Jackson Dyer who played an acoustic set so as not to cause further electrical problems. He soldiered on, full respect for that. But, yeah, last year was very interesting. It was fantastic, in fact”.

After starting the year as a full time music scholar at Dublin’s Trinity College, it wasn’t long before Hozier noticed that big wheels had started moving. The effects of which didn’t take long to impact on his life. “I’d say from September onwards things were flat out, but the support from Irish radio and the media in general was brilliant. It’s funny because, for whatever reason, I didn’t ever think of my music as ‘radio’ music, if you know what I mean. I thought I’d really struggle to have my music played on day time or mainstream radio. Especially with songs like ‘Take Me To Church’, but the response has been great and I’m so thankful for that.

“In all honesty, though, I never expected anything like it. Especially since it is tricky for me to actually define my music. It’s singer songwriter stuff so that will always be around and it definitely fits in there. But there are blues and soul elements in there too, and to a lesser extent jazz. It can be rootsy, there is also folk, gospel, bluegrass and these genres can take more of an effort when it comes to getting them noticed. Especially with me being Irish, because it’s generally not expected from contemporary Irish musicians, nor is it obviously Irish music. A lot

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of people are actually surprised to hear that I am Irish. But, essentially, I’m from a blues background and my father was a blues drummer so that plays a huge part in my music. I was raised on Chicago blues, people like John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters. Then, as I got older, I found artists like Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Sam & Dave so all of this is very much a part of my music. I guess I try to put as much into my music as I can, and I am thrilled about the reaction it has gotten. When you’ve poured over a song for so long and all of a sudden it’s out there, it gets interpreted by somebody as something entirely different and I love that, it almost takes on a life of it’s own and I see that a the reward for putting so much into it”.

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“I had a taxi driver who was belting ‘Take Me To Church’ out in the car recently, couldn’t help but join in.

Hozier turned us into a soul duo there for a minute” –– Overhead, The Albatross

Unexpected success is a double edged sword, however, as many victims of overnight success will attest. But Hozier’s reluctance to buy into it without having proven himself against at least his own standards has surely given him the much needed breathing space. “The whole idea of ‘going viral’, this sudden expansion of people hearing my music, is good but it probably doesn’t benefit anybody in the long run… apart from people with narrow attention spans. By going viral, all of a sudden there are album deals on the table and all the rest of it but this doesn’t leave much time to actually grow as an artist and this, obviously, is crucial. I’m not saying that there isn’t already years of work gone into something before it goes viral, but there still has to be time for development. You only get one debut album and there is a lot of pressure in that, it has to be right”.

So what’s the expectancy for 2014? “Well we’ve just been working on a follow up EP with Rob Kirwan and hopefully that will be ready for February. It’ll be a little bit different [to the last EP] and it won’t have a track like ‘Take Me To Church’ on it, but I have a fairly sizable back catalogue of songs to draw from so the idea is to just release as much of it as I can. Aside from that I’ll be spending a fair amount of time on my album, that’s going to take up most of the early part of the year. But the next EP, as I’ve said, is nearly good to go so that will likely be the next move.

In saying that, though, I want to allow myself as much time and space between releases in order to grow. Especially because the last twelve months have been such a whirlwind. I honestly thought this would have been a slow burner but that wasn’t the case.

“As for collaborations, I wouldn’t know where to start. At some point in the future I’d like to do something with the Trinity Orchestra because a lot of those guys are my friends. Some of them actually make up my band, as it happens.

Currently there are seven of us when we play live, primarily because there are a lot of backing vocals. This is where our gospel sound comes from. But, a lot of the band were finishing their stint with the Trinity Orchestra, and with Trinity College itself so it made sense to ask them to come on board with this as we had spent so much time together performing as well as being friends. As for going back to perform with the orchestra again, it is definitely something I’d consider further down the line”.

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Unknown

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Unknown when music happens naturally Photographed for State

by Olga Kuzmenko

How would you describe yourself and your music?

Ranging from ambient, spacious and mellow to dark, up-tempo house and garage.

Who or what inspires you?

My mood is the biggest thing that would inspire my music. When I’m making something, if the mood of it instantly clicks it’ll be a real joy and natural to make. Sometimes it can take a while before all the pieces feel like they fall together, though it’s always nice when they do.

How did you get started making music?

A friend showed me Fruity Loops when I was 15, and we made hip hop beats together for a while. Then I stopped and grabbed a copy of it again when I was 18. My interest in it really took off and I started to take it quite seriously. After that, I sort of realised that I was making things that actually sounded how I wanted them to. I’ve always been a bit of a music obsessive.

I soundtrack nearly every part of my day, and definitely can’t sleep without it.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Ady Suleiman. He’s an amazing singer from England who just blew up recently. I was fortunate enough to meet him about a month before it all got a bit mad. We had something in the pipeline, but had to put it on the back burner for now. Hopefully we will pick it up again at some point in the future.

What’s your best song and why?

I’d say ‘I Cry’. It was amazing being able to work with Gemma (Dunleavy) on it as she’s such a talent. She wrote and sang on it, and I produced it.

It took a few months before I was completely happy with it and I’m so glad I left it that long. It’s always a joy playing it live as well. I think it’s because it’s exactly the outcome I wanted with it, I think the tone and the mood of it is just right, and Gemma’s voice/lyrics couldn’t be any better. We have more tracks coming soon, too.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

Being asked to play at Gibson Guitar HQ in London was rather brilliant.

The venue is an invite only place so felt pretty special. We (myself and Gemma) were there with two other excellent bands from Northern Ireland, Girls Names and Little Bear. It was surreal and ended up rather hazy.

Visit website

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“In the wake of Burial, Unknown seems to rise higher then a lot of the imitators” –– Princess

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Liza Flume

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Liza Flume antipodean song building from the ground up Photographed for State

by Mark McGuinness

How did you get started making music?

I bought a wee guitar when I was 17 to teach myself a few Angus & Julia Stone tunes, and then almost immediately started writing my own stuff. Since then I’ve been messing around with different instruments, my favourite being my loop pedal.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Any and all of my influences above, and also, to dream big, Kanye West.

Describe yourself and your music: I am an Australian-born solo artist based in Dublin, writing tunes on my loop pedal with various instruments.

Who or what inspires you?

Lyrically whatever is going on in my life or the lives of people around me.

Musically I get my inspiration from either indie bands such as Daughter, Bon Iver and Vampire Weekend and producers like Jamie xx and Ryan Vail.

What’s your best song and why?

I don’t really know my best song, but people connect the most with a song called ‘What We Called Love’. I think that is the case because it was written as a pop song and is catchy but most importantly I wrote it from the most vulnerable place. It’s probably the most vulnerable song I’ve ever written, and I’m the most protective and insecure about it. Ironic, eh?

“Liza has such a gorgeous way of making music. ‘What We Called Love’ is a banger” –– Overhead, The Albatross

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

I got to perform Daithí’s remix of ‘Poison’ with him at the Little Big Tent at Electric Picnic this year which was unbelievable. It’s amazing the power of a group of humans and the energy they can create. I guess that’s why Daithí is so happy when he performs!

Best show you played in 2013?

I got to support John Grant at Vicar St a few months ago. Even though I looked like a dot on the stage, I got an overwhelming response. John was super sweet and even asked for an EP! Visit website

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Go Wolf form and function lovingly combined Describe yourself and your music: We make intelligent pop music. It is sensual and lovingly crafted but maintains the raw aesthetic of a live band.

Who or what inspires you?

Music, art, fashion, food, sport; anything, really, that is simple, beautiful and purposeful.

How did you get started making music?

Chris and Steve had played in bands before together, while Scott’s songwriting hadn’t really left the bedroom. Chris and Scott met two years ago at a poetry reading in a barber’s, clicked and decided there and then to start a band.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Mary J Blige.

What’s your best song and why?

At the time of writing we have only released two songs; they are two sides of the Go Wolf coin really. ‘Voices’ is immediate and danceable while ‘Even God’ is lyrically-driven with softer, lusher instrumentation.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

Being interrupted mid-song by an audience member in Whelan’s asking Scott to leave his sister a voicemail about Go Wolf.

Best show you played in 2013?

It’s probably a tie between supporting CSS in Belfast and playing on the mainstage at Culture Night.

What are you looking forward to this year?

All being well, touring outside of Ireland and releasing more music.

Visit website

Affleck

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wonder, excitement, gaming... belfast edm is in safe hands.

How would you describe yourself and your music?

We are three Belfast based lads who have a shared excitement and wonder about creating electronic music, while mixing it in with the standard acoustic instrumentation. We are in this game to create music we are proud of and enjoy making. We have described our music as dark electro-pop but, to be honest, each song we create could be tagged as something different. In basic terms, if we hear it and like it, we will turn it into a song.

Who or what inspires you?

A big inspiration, when it comes to lyrics, is video games. Gaming is a shared love of ours and we mix lyrical ideas about games in with real life events. We find it a fun way of telling a story through a song. We are not ones who will sit down and pour our hearts out on a page, but there are still some hidden, deeper, more meaningful messages to be found in our music. In musical terms, inspiration is derived from many sources and genres. If we like it, we will listen to it, but we all have a shared excitement in the seemingly endless possibilities electronic music can have. Over the last couple of years, producers in particular have become a major source of inspiration for us with people like Rustie and Lapalux having complete control over the materials they compose with.

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Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

This had to be the quick turn around from being in one band to then

starting a completely new band in the How did you get started making music? space of four or five months. Basically, The three of us started together in starting from scratch again. It has been a different four-piece band called an eventful and exciting year, to say Eatenbybears. For many different the least. reasons this band is no longer, but we

didn’t want this to stop us doing what Best show you played in 2013? we love to do so Affleck was born. It Having only played four shows in has taken us a good chunk of time to 2013 we would say our most recent rearrange ourselves into becoming performance at Radar, Belfast was the Affleck with a full genre change and best. Being such a new outfit, we learn new instrumentation, but we are so much with each show, and this one proud of what we have created so far. saw us click into place much more with performing our new material.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Plus, the reaction we received after We’re big fans of vocal harmonies, so the show was the best so far. People I think we’re all excited about adding seemed to match our excitement for new voices to particular songs. In where this band could go and the terms of local acts, were lucky in that musical journey we have started. we have a pretty collaborative group of

friends in different bands, so I can see What are you looking forward to this us working with the Kasper Rosa guys. year?

Other than that I’d love to something The three of us have never actually with Seven Summits because they written and recorded a full-length write THE best pop songs. If we could album, so we have made this one work with anyone in the world, it’s all of our first main goals. We have our about Flying Lotus and Trent Reznor. debut five-track EP released and have moved straight on to making the debut What’s your best song and why? album, which we hope to release in We would say ‘Cat King Lightning’ early 2014. This album should show us is our most catchiest song to date, really honing our craft and revealing but does that make it the best? Some where we want Affleck to go and what people would say so, and we would we really want to sound like. Then will tend to agree there but, we have only come the live shows, which we really released five tracks so it is difficult want people to walk away from feeling to answer. Although we are excited amazed. about how some of the new material is coming together.

Visit website

Blades Club

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Blades Club rock ‘n’ roll music where the sun does shine Photographed for State

by Olga Kuzmenko

Describe yourself and your music: We’re a straight up four-piece rock band, with a pop/surf feel. Lately a lot of our stuff is sounding like it belongs on the west coast of America. Jim Carroll described us as “sunnysideup surf rock with all the bells and whistles”. That’s probably the best description of us to be honest. We all love the Beach Boys and bands like Real Estate and Best Coast, so it’s only natural that our music emanates our influences.

Who or what inspires you?

There are so many great bands that inspire us to play music. When we see bands touring around the world, visiting amazing places, doing what they love to do for a living. That really inspires us. You don’t have to be selling-out arenas or anything to be inspirational you know, even smaller bands that work hard and play because they love to can be inspiring.

How did you get started making music?

We started the band in secondary school and it all went from there. We were all friends and had a mutual interest in music, so we started off just having a laugh and writing songs.

Eventually we developed our own sound and formed Blades Club.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

That’s a tough question … right now, what comes to mind is Peter Hayes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. We’ve been a fan of those guys for years.

What’s your best song and why?

It’s hard to pick a best song, as a band we have an attachment to every song we write, but at the moment ‘Out To Sea’ seems to be our most popular song, its getting the most attention anyway.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

Probably finding out Vodafone want to use ‘Out To Sea’ as their telephone hold music. Pretty random but cool.

Hopefully people don’t hate it after being on hold for ages.

Best show you played in 2013?

We’d have to say Hard Working Class Heroes at Meeting House Square. It’s a great Irish festival, and we really enjoyed taking part in it. It was deadly craic, and the complimentary refreshments were an added bonus.

No Place Like Dome festival in Sligo was another highlight show of 2013.

What are you looking forward to this year?

We’re releasing our first EP in January, so we’re really looking forward to that.

We played a gig in the Odessa club a while back and really enjoyed it, so we’ll most likely have the launch gig there!

Visit website Blades Club were shot at ‘Dundrum On Ice’.

Thanks to Marco (manager) for allowing us to use the facilities.

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Talkboy

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Talkboy obsessive, compulsive House music Photographed for State

by Mark McGuinness How would you describe yourself and your music?

A messer and a joker with OCD tendencies. My music is a take on all types of electronic music I like but mainly House and Deep House. I’d like to think I could put out a record that people could pick out of a DJ set and go “that’s definitely a Talkboy track”.

Who or what inspires you?

Acts like Dusky, George Fitzgerald & T.E.E.D. But also anyone who is constantly pushing musical boundaries across the board is a huge inspiration to me. People like Kanye West, Mount Kimbie, SBTRKT & Sampha. Lovely old synthesizers also inspire me…sometimes just hearing one note can spark the whole idea of a track.

How did you get started making music?

I played in an Indie rock band for years, in my teens, but grew out of it and fell in love with electronic music whilst at college. After being highly impressed with the work my classmates were coming out with I knew I wanted to start making my own version of dance music.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Soooo many… I would totally buy Jessie Ware a burrito if she sang on one of my tracks. It’s a decent offer I think?!

What’s your best song and why?

I couldn’t say what my best track is but my favourite one is an unreleased track called ‘Palpebral’ which will be on the next EP. It’s the first track I’ve made where I was dancing the whole time I was making it……which is important if you are making dance music believe it or not. So I can’t wait for people to hear it in a club sometime soon.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

It’s a toss up between playing my debut gig in a burlesque club in New York this Summer or getting a full page spread in my local town paper back home…which is normally more inclined to cover a story on GAA rather than house music... it was a shock.

Best show you played in 2013?

The burlesque club gig. We played in between stripper poles on a stage and there was a guy in the audience dressed in a chicken costume but imagine if a chicken was dressed in drag. It was strange for us but probably not for New York.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Hopefully getting a proper release with a label. That would be a dream.

Looking forward to playing more gigs and showing off my 3D projection set at gigs in the New Year.

Visit website

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Selk fragile happiness in dublin Photographed by Ronan McCall How would you describe yourself and your music?

Delicate melodies and beats.

Who or what inspires you?

Music, art, film, design.

How did you get started making music?

I’ve played piano since I was a kid and I always sang. There was a lot of music in my house growing up.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Jon Brion / Tuneyards. I’d be open to collaborating with all kinds of artists, musical and visual.

What’s your best song and why?

The one we’re really enjoying at the moment is a new one called ‘Been So Long’, it started as a tune we weren’t even going to use but now we love it.

It’s great to play, quite stripped back.

Best show you played in 2013?

Electric Picnic What are you looking forward to this year?

Recording our first album. We have all these songs now and I can’t wait to hear what they sound like as finished tracks.

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Princess

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the sound of noise Photographed for State

by Cait Fahey

How would you describe yourself and your music?

Transient random-noise bursts with announcements.

Who or what inspires you?

The Psychology of anger and jokes in relation to the unconscious.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Michael Rother, Annie Clark, Burial, John Dwyer.

What’s your best song and why?

We like all our songs equal, kind of like children.

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Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

We were homeless in London for two days. We went over to play a gig and didn’t book any accommodation hoping we would find some nice people to let us crash on their couch, luckily we did. We left her a note with a picture of a loaf of bread to say thank you. Seemed appropriate…

Best show you played in 2013?

Castlepalooza. That was a turning point for us live, I think.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Releasing our single ‘Neverlook’ on January 31st. Recording and releasing new music later on in the year and playing overseas.

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Simi Crowns

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Simi Crowns (formerly ShoBiz) storytelling sans frontières Photographed for State

by Olga Kuzmenko

How would you describe yourself and your music?

At the risk of being clichéd, my music is an extension of me. As I’ve chosen to go along the route of hip-hop, I see music as a storytelling tool. I write to tell my side of the story: observations, the trials and tribulations, the good times, the bad times, the regrets, the dreams, the fantasies and more.

Who or what inspires you?

Musically I get inspiration from a wide range of musicians and sounds.

I grew up listening to old school hip-hop and African music like King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti and, lately, I get inspired listening to artists like J. Cole, Massive Attack, Kid Cudi and Black Magic. From a non-musical view, I get inspired by the smallest of observations, i.e. love and fighting times with the girlfriend, random conversations, movies, watching a good artist perform live, other musician friends, the list is endless!

How did you get started making music?

I used to listen to artists like 50 Cent and Ja Rule around 2002 when beefing was still a very fascinating thing in hip-hop. Being a shy kid, I would write and scribble on pages to address people I wasn’t cool with, i.e. school teachers, the idiot I fought with during lunch break, etc. From there, I began to write to address other topics that were relevant to me, for example, writing to a girl, writing about dreams of becoming an important person in

life. As the years passed, I would go to local gigs and I started making friends with similar interests and we would just meet up all the time to make beats and write. We literally wrote until our pens ran out of ink. Fast forward some years to 2012 when I decided to put out my a mixtape called Better Late Than Never. I released a video for the song ‘Reassured’ which gained a lot of attention, from there on I started to get invitations to perform and I guess that’s where I really found my true calling for the first time ever – the stage.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

I’ve met a lot of local talented artists that I would like to perform with. For example, I met a girl named Aoife Dooley at a show in Limerick, her voice made things move. Another is Isaac Rose (you should check him out). From a mainstream perspective, I would love to collaborate with someone as true as Asa or as wild as Bjork or funky as Janalle Monae or, better yet, an incredible producer like Labrinth, Kanye or Q-Tip. Imagine how awesome that would be.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

2013 was a strange year, most definitely. But the strangest thing was being offered a scholarship to study a masters programme in UCD. I mean, I never win anything that’s left to chance. So it was pretty nice and strange being offered the scholarship,

especially given that I was pretty certain that me and formal education were done, for good. Other little strange things would be situations where I had people sending me emails telling me that I inspire them or people coming up to me in a club or on the street and tell me how much they like my music, it’s a strange but nice feeling I have to admit. Oh yeah, and being invited to be part of State’s Faces of 2014 is definitely a strange but awesome experience in the making.

Best show you played in 2013?

I recently supported the most renowned rapper in Poland at The Twisted Pepper. Before the show I was pretty certain that the language barrier would be an issue but from the minute my DJ (D.O.G) put the needle on deck, I had over a hundred people who had never heard of me vibe out like they’ve known me for years. I guess it goes to show that hip-hop isn’t black music for the ghetto kids or the wannabe cool kids as some people would say. I was pretty thrilled to see that my music could reach out to an audience, irrespective of their race, background or language.

Visit website Simi Crowns was shot at White Lady Art Studio.

Thanks to Kathrina Rupit for allowing us to use her studio and artwork.

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The Clameens

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glamourous indie rock and roll How would you describe yourself and your music?

Energetic, upbeat and passionate ! Our music reaches a wide range of people, from young teenagers to people who grew up with the likes of The Undertones!

Who or what inspires you?

Our music is influenced by a variety of artists and bands. We all listen to so much music that we all have so many influences, and they all seem to come together. One day one of us might be listening to Oasis, and Ethan will be listening to Vampire Weekend, then when we come into the practice room all our influences join force and inspire our song writing. We think that’s why a lot of people enjoy listening to our music, because there’s something for everyone. The genres of our musical influences are also varied, we all love listening to hip-hop, R&B and ’90s dance music as well as our indie and rock.

How did you get started making music?

It all started when Sean and Hayden were at secondary school together.

They started learning to about music and soon developed a close bond playing together from a very young age. So they decided to form a band: The Clameens. Soon after, Hayden’s younger brother Ethan joined the line up and after the three had played together for some time, Sean met Ryan, and asked him to join the lineup on bass at the start of summer 2013. In a nutshell that’s the story of The Clameens.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

There are the obvious choices such as Noel Gallagher, Alex Turner or Liam Fray, which would be a real dream of ours come true. But we would really like to collaborate with an artist like Chase & Status or the Chemical Brothers. I think it’s really cool to collaborate with someone outside your genre, or even comfort zone, as it challenges your creativity and gives you a completely different experience when writing music and producing in the studio. Closer to home, we’ve already collaborated with the likes of Tom Middleton, Shocko and Crimson Underground which was really fun and something we would look forward to doing again.

What’s your best song and why?

We all have different opinions on our best songs. Ethan loves playing ‘She’s Mine’ live, Hayden’s favourite is our second single ‘She’s Got My Heart’ and Sean changes his mind every day! Ryan’s would be ‘Follow’ but we really enjoy playing all of our tunes, we really thrive of the crowd moving to the rhythms and hooks of our tunes. It’s very overwhelming for us, actually.

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

Where do we begin? To be fair, there weren’t too many strange events throughout 2013, but there were lots of musical highlights. But the guys from Rudimental buying us all pints during Radio One’s Big Weekend when we played a private aftershow party was pretty surprising. As was

discovering Zane Lowe bopping to our tunes mid-set. Or, possibly, when we played an all girl secondary school, after our show we were bombed by about 500 girls. We aren’t used to that.

Our manager was going mental trying to get us in a taxi but we soaked it up.

Best show you played in 2013?

We have had a great year and have the pleasure of choosing from a long list of great gigs. Playing the main stage at the last ever Glasgowbury festival was a real honour and we really enjoyed our first gigs in Dublin this year, firstly with SOAK in the Pepper Canister and then The Workman’s Club during Hard Working Class Heroes 2013. Another highlight was when we played Music City at home, we arrived on stage to a very small crowd but by the second song there were a couple of thousand people dancing and singing back our tunes. Amazing!

What are you looking forward to this year?

First up, we will have new material to release upon the world in early 2014, so we are really excited about that.

We have a few special gigs planned throughout the year and, of course, we will be looking forward to the summer to play a few new festivals. We’re really hoping to build on the success we enjoyed last year and hopefully pick up a few more fans along the way.

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FloorStaff

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a giddy view from the dark side Describe yourself and your music: FloorStaff is a pop project originally dreamt up towards the end of 2012

by Anthony Donnelly and Stephen Murray. Since then, Stephen has relocated from Ireland and FloorStaff is now the sole project of Anthony Donnelly. Anthony is joined by a number of talented musicians to make the live show possible and continues to write, record and perform as FloorStaff. The music has been described as downbeat with an uneasy anxiety prevailing throughout, pop that’s boisterous but not obnoxious.

Who or what inspires you?

I am definitely inspired by personal emotions, things that can be difficult to put into words. I’d say in relation to my music, the emotion is not always altogether positive but it’s used as fuel for the art and turned into something good. Writing and performing is a really great release for emotional tension and I find out a lot about myself and my emotions while I’m writing. We can come to understand a situation better or resolve something completely this way. Any medium of art can be an inspiration, from photography, to dance to a good film.

One of the bands that really inspires me would be The Walkmen. They come on stage with almost nothing, no effects, just guitars, amps, a whole lot of attitude and blow everyone away. Little Dragon is a big influence for their understated grooves, with soulful vocals and electronic sounds.

Frank Ocean has a very distinct voice and knows how to write a song or two. Speaking of song writers, Myles Manley is one of the best song writers in the country right now and has definitely been a huge inspiration.

How did you get started making music?

I sang in the school choir from about age 8 until I was 13 or so and spent a good chunk of that as the choir soloist.

My grandmother always encouraged me hugely with my singing and would sit through every performance until she would unleash a tidal wave of praise. I started messing around in bands at age 15 or 16. To say I look back and cringe on some of this work is an understatement but it was a necessary experience. More recently, I spent 3 years playing in a band called Shadows Holding Shapes. The songs where great and it was a lot of fun but for the most part I played secondary role as a bass player and did not contribute much creatively. So the idea of FloorStaff was born just over a year ago. Basic ideas recorded minimally on a laptop made their way to the studio and the rest is history.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

I’d love to collaborate with Prince, if I could go back in time to catch him during Purple Rain that would be ideal. Danger Mouse would be wonderful, he really gets the best out of everyone he works with. I’d love to do some crooning with How To Dress Well and get involved with Baltimore group Wye Oak. To work with the likes of The Knife would be splendid, if only to see what they look like and David Byrne as he seems to be up for that with most hopefuls.

What’s your best song and why?

It would be difficult to pick a favourite but if I had to, it would be ‘The Guest’.

It was one of the first songs I worked on and I think it sums up a lot of the different aspects of the FloorStaff sound in one track. I think it’s structured quite well and turned out to be a groovy little number.

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‘The Guest’ is the type of song that will never leave your iTunes, it’s pretty perfect” –– Go Wolf

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

At the first gig, which was the EP launch, the bass player Richard experienced a guitar malfunction 3 songs in. This led to the sound engineer running out of the venue and grabbing the first kid he saw with a guitar case on his back. We’re told he screamed “Is that a bass?! Gimme that!”. He was probably more polite than that but anyway, the guy who donated his bass was too young to come in and had to wait outside in the dark until it was all over. We’ll be forever thankful.

Best show you played in 2013?

The best show was probably Castlepalooza. There was a nice chilled out vibe and a great crowd reaction.

The band was locked in nicely and we all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Hopefully going to be releasing a music video for one of the songs soon with a great Irish director. I’m very lucky to be involved with him.

The theme for the video will be a little unusual to say the least, fingers crossed it will come across well. Aside from this, I’m getting ready to record another EP soon and I am absolutely giddy with uncontrollable excitement.

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Tvvins

living, breathing music How would you describe yourself and your music?

We are a couple of men who make music with guitars, bass, drums, harmonised and vocoded vocals and all manner of electronic equipment. I suppose we would consider ourselves to be alternative pop for the most part.

Who or what inspires you?

Everything. I really mean that. The combined energy that you come across everyday through people, places, art, news, music, pets etc… can be overwhelming. You can’t help but be inspired by all that surrounds you as a living, breathing person… it’s all influential and inspiring.

How did you get started making music?

We came up together on the Dublin music scene. Our different bands would play together over the years and we developed a healthy respect for each other’s music. We talked about playing together many times and eventually got off our arses and did it.

We started in a room with two guitars and a few drum loops. That developed into the sound we have now. We both usually play in guitar bands and wanted to make this something pretty different.

Anyone you’d like to collaborate with?

Hulk Hogan. We’d like to have a Hulk Hogan themed video starring Hulk Hogan. Maybe Hulk Hogan and Johnny Logan. Maybe have a video with Hulk Hogan, Johnny Logan and Terry Wogan.

What’s your best song and why?

We’re still assigning names to our songs. We have more than an album’s worth now but haven’t bothered to name them yet. So we’ll say our best song is ‘You Better’ because its one of the only ones with a proper name and its going to be our 1st single. We love it because its pure pop town. It’s pretty different from what we have put out with our other bands. It helped us to finally shrug off that heavy, dusty, burdensome blanket of music snobbery.

“Some of the best music I’ve heard all year. Amazing” –– Selk

Strangest thing that happened to you in 2013?

We became a band. A fox stole one of my shoes.

Best show you played in 2013?

So far it would have to be our first gig for hard working class heroes.

That was great fun. We’re very much looking forward to playing in the Olympia soon and playing with Heathers, ASIWYFA and Enemies.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Fingers crossed that someone finally nails teleportation... Gigging, gigging and more gigging. Recording our e.p and/or album.

Visit website

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Thanks to all the artists for participating and huge thanks to all our photographers for the amazing work.

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