Nialler9

The Best of the Month episode is now Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 20 minutes or so of the episode as a free preview. Members get to hear the whole episode on Patreon as part of a €5 a month subscription so come join us! It's the return of our monthly Patreon episode, but this time with a special guest. Andrea is taking the summer off the podcast and listening parties, so I asked Mo Cultivation's Bekah Molony to join me in enthusing about our favourite music of the past month. Bekah joins us to talk about Tyler, The Creator's recent Dublin gig, Forbidden Fruit, Lovely Days at Guinness Storehouse and more. Then we discuss our favourite music from PinkPantheress, Khamari, Baxter Dury, Evan Miles, Mhaol, Billy Woods, Sammy Virji and Skepta, For Those I Love, Katie Phelan, Loyle Carner and Erika De Casier. Plus some song of the summer contenders and chats about Sinners the film and TV shows we're catching. Listen on Apple | Android | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Podlink * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community Albums and tracks mentioned For Those I Love - Of The Sorrows Sammy Virji; Skepta - Cops & Robbers billy woods - Golliwog (album) Khamari - Head in a Jar Baxter Dury, JGrrey - Allbarone katie phelan - nothing stays the same Erika de Casier - Lifetime (album) Evan Miles - It's On Me Mhaol - Something Soft (album) PinkPantheress - Stateside PinkPantheress - Illegal Sofia Kourtesis; Daphni - Unidos Selena Gomez; benny blanco - Bluest Flame Loyle Carner - all i need

Today's episode is a discussion with writer and journalist Una Mullally about artist boycotts, solidarity, Palestine, Israel, protest, cancellation, capitalism and the music industry. We talk about how Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people has become a flashpoint of awareness about how modern music festivals work, specifically how private equity which invests in Israel operates in the live music industry. We chat about why Kneecap's recent actions have drawn so much ire and anger in the US and  the UK, leading to the expedited terror charge of Mo Chara on June 18th, and calls (often successful) for cancellation of their shows. Festivals owned by global events company Superstruct who own 80 festivals and brands like Sonar, Sziget, Boiler Room, Oya, Field Day and Mighty Hoopla have had artists cancel in boycott of Superstruct's owner KKR, the second largest private equity firm in the world, who  have documented ties to both weapons manufacturers and Israeli companies developing data centres and advertising real estate on illegally occupied land. It feels like an unprecedented time for the visibility of protest and boycott by artists in recent years. A generational shift is happening -  Artists and DJs are showing moral opposition in this complicity in the face of political inaction. Lines are being drawn.  

K.Dot's first masterpiece album is a coming-of-age story with Kendrick navigating life in Compton, resisting peer pressure, destructive behaviour and trying to stay righteous in a corrupted world. Ahead of our listening party at the Big Romance, Andrea takes us on the Hero's Journey of Kendrick Lamar's breakthrough 2012 second album good kid, m.A.A.d city. Subtitled A Short Film, this cinematic rap masterpiece was a huge mainstream success, and crowned Kendrick as the voice of modern hip-hop (Dr. Dre literally appears to do so on the coronation track 'Compton') and it's narrative storytelling tells the story of a 17-year-old Lamar on a quest for a girl before being sidetracked by homie peer pressure and the more dangerous elements of his surrounding landscape. It features the songs 'Bitch Dont' Kill My Vibe', 'Money Trees', 'Backseat Freestyle', and the accidental frat anthem 'Swimming Pools (Drank)'. We revisit this modern rap masterpiece, Kendrick's first of many.

The avant-electronic and experimental Irish music festival Open Ear returns to Sherkin Island on the June Bank Holiday weekend. Open Ear is known for its preoccupation with illuminating music operating on the fringes, and the remote island setting of Sherkin Island off the coast of Baltimore in West Cork reflects this outsider ethos. The varied programme is drawn from electronic, techno, experimental folk and trad, jazz EBM, bass music and art rock, and this year features the likes of Irish techno legend Sunil Sharpe, Scottish piper Brìghde Chaimbeul, Cork sean nos rockers I Dreamed I Dream, Belfast Sound Advice record shop owner Marion Hawkes, Limerick rap and production duo Citrus Fresh and 40Hurtz, Catalan/Italian EBM duo Dame Area, Autechre collaborator Rob Hall, and lots more. The programme features one artist at a time across various stages on Sherkin including the infamous Banger Cliff. I spoke to Open Ear head of programming Dion Doherty aka Belacqua about the challenges and uniqueness of putting on an experimentally-minded festival on an island and as it approaches its 10th year, how its planning to grow its European partnerships and unearths Irish music of the underground.   * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community Listen on Apple | Android  | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Pod.Link      

Our monthly Patreon episode in which Andrea Cleary and Niall share our favourite music of the past month.   The Best of the Month episode is now Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 20 minutes or so of the episode as a free preview. Members get to hear the whole episode on Patreon for a €5 a month so come join us! This month, we are discussing new albums from Torres and Julien Baker, Daughter Of Swords, Bon Iver, Maria Somerville and songs from The Hives, Turnstile, mischa and the bear, Frankie Cosmos, Morgana, Myles Manley and a Crossed Wires NTS show recommendation. Listen on Apple | Android | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Podlink * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community Albums and tracks mentioned Marika Hackman; Laura Marling - Skin Daughter of Swords - Alex LP The Hives - Enough Is Enough mischa and the bear - Deny Maria Somerville - Luster LP Turnstile - NEVER ENOUGH Julien Baker; TORRES - Say A Prayer For Me LP Bon Iver - SAble, Fable LP Bon Iver - I'll Be There Morgana - Power Cuts Myles Manley - Indieboys of Dublin Myles Manley - Di Fontaines Frankie Cosmos - Vanity Dame Area - La Danza Del Ferro    

The Irish-Palestinian singer and filmmaker speaks about embracing her Arabic heritage in her music, and the resurgence of interest in keening and Irish folklore. The Irish-Palestinian artist Róisín El Cherif has spent 18 months advocating for the people of Palestine, speaking out on the injustice and genocide in Gaza. El Cherif has begun singing in Arabic on stage, noting the connections between Irish and Arabic folk music and culture. It's best encapsulated in the Róisín El Cherif live show, which debuted at the Fringe Festival and was given a Fringe award for Astounding Performance of Political and Cultural Significance. The next live show takes place at the Button Factory in Dublin next week, Wednesday April 30th, which will be a blend of live music, poetry and film visuals featuring clips from Arabic films, Palestinian folk music and drawing parallels with Irish mythology and folklore - the cailleach, banshees and keening which is also found in Arabic culture as wailing, and further represents and celebrates the oppressed people of Palestine. El Cherif recently accepted the Choice Music Prize award on behalf of Fontaines D.C. by reciting part of a poem from Palestinian poet Samih al-Qasim written in 1971 called Enemy of the Sun which speaks of Palestinian resistance against Israel. We also talk about the reaction to Kneecap's recent Pro-Palestine statements at Coachella.

It's DILLA TIME This month's special is about Jay Dee aka J Dilla, a Detroit hip-hop producer's whose work is so prolific and influential his MPC sampler is in the Smithsonian. Dilla worked with hip-hop and R&B greats - Q-Tip, A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, The Roots, The Pharcyde, D'Angelo, Common, Madlib and made his own signature rhythm that others copied - he used a sampler like no one had before. Through his unique methods of playing with layered timing, rhythmic expectation, polyrhythm, samples stretching and feel and his ability to bend time-signatures to his will, Dilla changed how music moves, and made Dilla Time (a term coined in the 2022 book of the same name by Dan Charnas). We explore his production work, solo music and the legacy of his final album from 2006, released three days before he died - Donuts - a sample psychedelic beat tape of melancholic beauty and a magic trick of sampling that serves as a towering and influential creative statement. The accompanying Dilla playlist. * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community Listen on Apple | Android  | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Pod.Link  

Our monthly  episode in which Andrea Cleary and Niall share our favourite music of the past month. The Best of the Month episode is now Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 15 minutes or so of the episode as a free preview. Members get to hear the whole episode on their member feeds or on Patreon direct. Discussing music from Lonnie Holley, Bon Iver, Adebisi Shank, Chappell Roan, Avalon Emerson, Niamh Bury, Brighde Chaimbeul, Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco, Paddy Hanna, MJ Lenderman and an old choice from Cornelius. We also chat about what we've been watching lately including Adolescence, Severance, Last One Laughing UK (which I erroneously called Laugh Out Loud), 

Jamal Sul has been making Irish Arabic electronic music as Moving Still since 2016. His productions link his Arabic heritage, with his love of synthesizers, dance music and buzzy bangers. Moving Still's music is unique in how it brings together styles of music from the  SWANA region (Southwest Asia and North Africa) with European and American club genres like Italo, electro, acid, breakbeats, house and more. Jamal's project has been in the ascendancy with releases on Cooking with Palms Trax, Orange Tree Edits, Dar Disku and his latest Close To The Shams EP on the Bordello A Parigi label. His 2022 Boiler Room set from London is an all-timer for me, and his Ouddy Bangers series has seen him put a club edit spin on pop, disco and dance classics from Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and Kuwait. I talk to Jamal about all of it: his big gigs, productions, edits, influences, heritage and how Ireland has been slow to catch up on Moving Still until recently. And he picks a selection of songs that has inspired his music (listed below). Up next on the DJ front for Moving Still is the latest edition of Klub Sukar at Yamamori Tengu on Saturday April 19th.  Tracks played: Moving Still - Al Disco Haram Cheick Madani - Laya Habibi Ragheb Alama - El hob al Kabir Marvellous Melodicos - sing oh (zagalo mix) Moving Still -La Titasil Feeya Haruomi Hosono - Laugh Gas Omar Souleyman  - Warni Warni Moving Still - Bang of Luban Ahmed Fakroun - Soleil Soleil Ihsan Al Munzer - Jamilah Ettab - Ghorba Wa Moghtaribin (Exile and Exiled) Chaba Yamina - Sidi Mansour (Moving Still Edit) * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community Listen on Apple | Android  | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Pod.Link

Would you identify an AI song if you pressed play on one? Colm Cahalane and Niall explore what's happening in AI and music now, with an example drawn from the Irish music scene in recent months. Echoing the early Wild Wild West streaming era that we discussed last week with Liz Pelly that gave rise to Spotify's dominance, our chat this week with Colm Cahalane of Irish music Substack blog Fourth Best / Cork label Hausu finds parallels with what's happening with AI and music right now. AI is breaking new ground, and creating new problems and moral issues in doing so. Colm recently posted a ruminating article on AI on Fourth Best, which talks to an artist called Kawaii Hoe who inadvertently, and relatively innocently duped me into covering their energetic AI-generated hyperpop music on the site - Like I said it's the Wild Wild West. We talk about this scary new world of not knowing whether an artist is making music entirely with AI or not, and the implications and creative quandary of generated art. Because you can now make a full music project with AI, does that mean you should? Are AI musicians just really gifted at prompts? Are the outputs music? As AI music flooded streaming platforms, social media and we cannot put the genie back in the bottle, what's next? As Liz Pelly's book shows, Spotify will do what it can to reduce royalty rates so what's to stop it from replacing real artist's music with AI-generated music? Isn't this already happening whether they allow it or not?    * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community Listen on Apple | Android  | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Pod.Link

The music and cultural critic Liz Pelly's new book Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Cost of the Perfect Playlist is a deep dive into Spotify's often contentious position in music today. Liz has been a philosophising on issues brought about by the streaming era's cultural impact for about 10 years now so the book collates a lot of work, thoughts, research and investigative reporting on Spotify and the way it operates. We talk to Liz about the Swedish streaming giant's outsized influence on the music industry, its gatekeeper effect on trends in music, and how Spotify has emphasised mood and passive listening above discovery and initiative. We talk about the vast collection of user behaviour on the platform that has lead to artists chasing a more homogenous "streambait pop" sound, how Spotify uses  fake "ghost" artists and their Perfect Fit Content system to reduce royalty rates and squeeze out real artists on the platform's popular algorithmic and editorial playlists. * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community   Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Pod.Link  

Our monthly episode in which Nialler and Andrea Cleary talk about their favourite music of the month. The Best of the Month episode is now Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 20-25 minutes or so of the episode as a free preview. Members get to hear the whole episode on their member feeds or on Patreon direct. Discussing new albums from Oklou, Horsegirl, Maria Kelly, Puma Blue and songs from Djo, Car Seat Headrest, Deep Thrills and breaking news - nepobaby Lola Kirke. We also chat about films we've seen lately including A Complete Unknown, Civil War, Companion and pick an Italo Disco classic that featured in The Brutalist and an even better song from the same act.   Listen on Apple | Android | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Podlink * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communit

The composer and producer, and multi-instrumentalist Ólafur Arnalds met the Cork singer-songwriter Eoin French aka Talos after he ran a marathon in Iceland. A friendship was struck, that quickly developed into a musical partnership, as seen at Sounds From A Safe Harbour in Cork in 2023, when the festival director Mary Hickson put the pair together for a collaboration. Now six months after Eoin's death,  Arnalds and French's family, friends and collaborators have been celebrating the artist's creativity and legacy with the stunning song they wrote together 'We Didn't Know We Were Ready'. The song was performed on The Tommy Tiernan show on RTÉ in January under Arnalds' Opia community banner with vocals from Niamh Regan, Ye Vagabonds, JFDR, The Staves, Sandrayati Fay, Dermot Kennedy, Laoise Leahy, Memorial, Christof Van Der Ven and most poignantly of all, Eoin's wife Steph French. In our chat with Ólafur today, he recounts meeting Eoin, their creative time spent together and the instructions he received from Eoin before he died to finish the record they made together, which will be released later this year.   * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community Songs referenced on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify Playlist   Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Pod.Link  

Niall and Andrea are running our mouths over what's been happening in mainstream music to this year.Episode #276 is a grab bag of topics and events in music so far from Kendrick Lamar's Superbowl Half-Time Show, the Grammys to the music highlights of 50 years of Saturday Night Live.We talk about Doechii's live performance at the Grammys, Robyn and David Byrne performing together and Lauryn Hill and Wyclef coming back together on stage at Radio City Music Hall to perform some Fugees and Lauryn Hill classics.Then we delve into the archive of SNL's musical performances, prompted by Questlove and Oz Rodriguez' Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music documentary and come up with notorious SNL moments like Ashlee Simpson's lipsync farce, Sinead O'Connor's Pope-ripping a capella, Rage Against The Machine getting kicked out of the show for upsetting the advertisers and Republicans, Elvis Costello switching it up live without telling the producers.Then we highlight some of our favourite performances on the show from The White Stripes / Jack White, Chance The Rapper on Kanye's 'Ultralight Beam', Janis Ian and Billy Preston on the 1975 debut of the show and more.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communitySongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Pod.Link Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 275 is an interview with Kittser about his electronic project New Jackson. It may have felt like a side project when it debuted with The Night Mail EP in 2011, but over the last 14 years, the New Jackson releases have been so consistent across a multitude of EPs on Permanent Vacation, Hivern, All City, Maeve and more, with last year's second album Oops!... Pop softened the lines into a more techno pop songwriting style.Ahead of the New Jackson live show in Dublin on Saturday March 28th with support from Rory Sweeney and The Outside, his forthcoming album project with Efa O'Neill, we talk that collaboration, his new release as MMOTTORR with TR One , what he's learned from 30 years of DJing, living in Kerry, Spotify and Bandcamp discourse, and bucking the zeitgeist trends in dance music in 2025.David also picks some key influential New Jackson tracks from Joy Orbison, Wham!, Pépé Bradock, Carl Craig and The Egyptian Lover.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Pod.Link Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Best of the Month episode is now Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 25 minutes or so of the episode as a free preview. Members get to hear the whole episode on their member feeds or on Patreon direct.Welcome back.Kicking off season 5 of the Nialler9 Podcast with the return of our regular series in which Nialler and Andrea Cleary share their favourite music of the month.Discussing new albums from The Weather Station, MIKE, Pink Siifu, FKA Twigs among others; and songs from Lucy Dacus, Doechii, Niamh Regan, Japanese Breakfast, Olafur Arnalds, Talos and friends.We also chat the Choice Music Prize album nominations, Bluesky, The Traitors and films we've seen lately including Nosferatu, Blue Velvet/Lost Highway (RIP David Lynch) and The Substance [Nialler's Letterboxd].* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Pod.Link Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our final podcast of the year is the fifth annual Nialler9 Podcast Awards.Niall and Andrea hand out gongs in categories:Best live TV and web video performances, sax solo of the year, the Andre 3000 award for best guest verse, best film soundtrack, song featured in a TV show, duds of the year, the heroes and villains of 2024 (Irish artists at SXSW, Drake, Spotify and more), best rap beat, trend of the year, the award for best music with annoying vocalist (hi Geordie Greep), sample, disappointments, pop artist, single released after critically-acclaimed album that was better than the album (hi Mk.Gee), quote of the year, funniest moment of the year (hi Grimes at Coachelly), club track of the year, best song about Palestine, favourite song that sounds like Bernard Herrman's Psycho score and best cover song of 2024.Dig in, and talk to you next year.Niall and Andrea xShow notes:Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communitySongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Podlink Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 272, the second of our Best of 2024 trilogy of podcasts is all about the albums of the year.Andrea and Niall share a selection of their favourite albums of the year.Featuring discussion and reasons for best albums from Charli XCX, Jessica Pratt, Mabe Fratti, MJ Lenderman, Adrienne Lenker, Cindy Lee, Bricknasty, Father John Misty and Curtisy.Show notes:Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communitySongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Podlink Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 271 kicks off our Best of 2024 trilogy of podcasts with a look at the songs that defined our year. Andrea and Niall pick a selection box of their songs of the year and talk about them.Featuring songs from Charli XCX, MJ Lenderman, Waxahatchee, Burial, Baby Rose, Laura Marling, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Fontaines D.C., Róis and more.Patreon RSS Member FeedACAST SubscribeShow notes:Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communitySongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Podlink Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Best of the Month episode is now Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 25 minutes or so.Episode 270 is partly a review of our favourite music of the month, and partly a chat about what's happening with Kendrick (new album) and Drake (lawsuits lol) in November.Andrea tells us why Drake is suing UMG, the label both him and Kendrick are on, and why he is also suing the label for defamation for things said in a rap beef with Lamar (you couldn't make it up) .Then we review Kendrick's new surprise album GNX, with its West Coast focus and hyphy vibe adding up to a victory lap for the rapper.After our recent deep dive into his seminal album, it's the return of Andrea's Cool Big Guy Father John Misty and his new album Mahashmashana who as we found out is on the same release schedule as K.Dot. Andrea reviews the album and we talk an endorsement from Cher?Then it's recommendation corner with music from Bolis Pupul, Ahmed, With Love., Oisin Leech, single men in their twenties and the Doechii & Tyler, The Creator performance at Camp Flog Gnaw.Show notes:Nialler9 on Patreon - event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes & join our Discord Songs played on the Nialler9 Podcast PlaylistListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Podlink Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast 269 is all about the 23rd edition of Other Voices in Dingle and some of the acts playing the Jameson Music Trail from November 29th to December 1st.The Jameson Music Trail will present 100 live sets from dozens of Irish artists we love, with many acts playing twice in the town's 16 venues, including a Jameson Connects stage at The Dingle Bridge House for the first time.For this episode, I spoke to Kerry musician and OV regular Junior Brother about playing in Dingle, recording his soon-to-be-released third album with John "Spud" Murphy, and playing with The Pogues.Then we chat to Juno King, events producer with the OV family, literally in that her dad Philip started the show 23 years go and Juno along with triplet sisters Molly and Ellen grew up in and around the show. Juno talks to us about the limitations and magic of putting on the festival every year and what's exciting her this year on the lineup.Then, we beam in Dan and Paul from Silverbacks, the indie-rock band who have just released their third album Easy Being A Winner, and we discuss making the album with GIlla Band's Dan Fox, what success looks like for the band and what they're looking forward at Other Voices this year.Show notes:Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communitySongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistOther VoicesJameson Music TrailListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Podlink Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this year, the Tallaght rapper Curtisy released the debut album What Was The Question? one of the finest Irish rap albums, nay, Irish albums of the year.With a Deluxe version of the album out now, I spoke to Gavin Curtis aka Curtisy about starting out rapping in 2021 and meeting Ahmed, With Love and making their first song 'Men On A Mission' in 2022 with Rory Sweeney. Curtisy has a prolific output, and we discuss his many collaborators (Ahmed, With Love makes a brief appearance too), valuing vulnerability and authenticity in your music and discuss the Irish music he loves including music from Sloucho, Lil Skag, EFÉ, Bricknasty, Rory Sweeney / Carlos Danger and of course, Ahmed, With Love; plus what comes next in 2025.Curtisy Tour dates:Saturday 16th November – The Black Box, BelfastWednesday 20th November – The Workman's Club, Dublin* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityShow notes:Curtisy on the Jobstown spots that influenced his new album What Was The QuestionSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed | Podlink Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 267 with Andrea and Niall sharing their favourite music of the month. [Patreon Preview]In this episode, Nialler and Andrea kick off the chat with Halloween experiences, Andrea stays up for the Trump show, and advocates for leaving Twitter you guys.Then we highlight our favourite tracks and albums from October, including new albums from Irish artists like Fionn Regan (O Avalanche), Silverbacks (Easy Being A Winner), Deathbed Convert (Inverse Field Vol. 1) and Olive Hatake (Boys Need Love) along with international choices from Laura Marling (Patterns In Repeat) and Mount Eerie (Night Palace).There are song picks from Father John Misty, Morgana, Waxahatchee and MK.gee too.Plus, TV and films we're enjoying in the What's Consuming You? corner.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tyler, The Creator dropped his seventh studio album Chromakopia on Monday morning after only announcing the album a matter of days before release.As one of the most compelling album artists in rap, and an artist who is on a great run of records including Flower Boy (2017), Igor (2019), Call Me If You Get Lost (2021), how does Chromakopia stack up?With Tyler bigger than ever and selling out two 3Arena Dublin shows this week, I take a deep dive into the record with self-confessed Tyler Stan Max Zanga aka Filmore!.While it may look like a conceptual character record on paper, we discuss Tyler's clear vulnerabilities about his place in the world as a successful 30-something materially-rich rapper (“Biggest in the city after Kenny [Kendrick Lamar], that's a fact now”) while Tyler grapples with whether or not he's ready to become a father (2024 is truly the year pop stars started writing about whether they should have children), whether he wants or needs a long-term relationship, and there's a re-examination of Tyler's own established narrative with his own estranged father.Filmore!'s latest EP Idle Death Gamble is out now, as is Chromakopia.*Finally - apologies about the audio quality this week, as host, producer and editor I messed up my audio source this week meaning we are hearing the webcam audio :( * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Niall chats to Ray O'Donohue, the recently appointed Night-Time Economy Advisor for Dublin City.What is a night mayor? A night czar? A night-time economy advisor? Well, my perception of what it entails is someone who advocates and advises local city council policy and decision-making on what is required in order to make the city more liveable at night, more culturally rich, safer, and to be the glue between various communities like venue owners, promoters, night time economy workers and those who make decisions around how the city operates at night time. But we're not going to take my word for it, we're going to talk to Dublin's first night-time economy advisor Ray O'Donohue.O'Donoghue is known for his work in events and the Sea Sessions festival, before his appointment in April. Last week, Dublin City Council shared its Night-Time Economy Strategy – “a comprehensive plan designed to cultivate a thriving night-time culture in our city”, spearheaded by Ray O'Donoghue and supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media.So, I talked to Ray about his plans to help Dublin night-life, and what we can expect from the role for Dublin city...* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Scottish duo's 1998 debut album is the subject of this month's Listen Closely listening party and podcast.Boards Of Canada's debut album Music Has The Right To Children on Warp Records/SKAM is a modern classic, a highly evocative collection of music, operating like a fading childhood memory, a creeping nostalgic collage of analogue electronic music, samples from public service broadcasting programming, with inspirations from to hip-hop beats, ambient techno and psychedelia.Join Niall and Andrea to discuss the liminal legacy of Music Has The Right To Children, and discover how library music, Sesame Street and nature documentaries all inform the album, and we chat about the album's childhood nostalgia, and its preoccupation with a retrofuturistic nostalgia and memory. Join us at the Big Romance on Wednesday October 30th for our Listening Party for the album. You won't want to miss the chance to hear this on vinyl as loud as possible!The Listen Closely series of listening party nights in The Big Romance, featuring a focus album from an artist we love on the last Wednesday of every month. It's a chance to appreciate a modern classic album played loud on vinyl through the bar's beautiful Toby Hatchett soundsystem with a chat about the record before and after, whether you know it and love it, or if it's brand new to you. * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From now on, the Best of the Month episode is Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 25 minutes or so. Patreon members get to hear the whole episode on their member feeds or on Patreon direct. Episode 263 comes at us fast with Niall Byrne and Andrea Cleary's monthly music recommendations.Chatting Indie Sleaze, a reason to be cheerful with the return of Adebisi Shank and a chat about club culture post-pandemic.Then we highlight new albums from Floating Points (this is the Jamie xx Substack post that annoyed Niall), and Henry Earnest along with songs from Bon Iver, Ahmed With Love, Maria Somerville, Freak Slug, FKA Twigs, Fionn Regan, Nilufer Yanya and a Teac Damsa Nobodaddy-inspired closing pick.Plus, TV, film and books we're enjoying in the What's Consuming You? corner.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Friday, Culture Night in Dublin, the Tola Vintage shop in Temple Bar's annual block party was shut down by the Gardaí, and three people were arrested. The police actions were met with criticism for the use of excessive force and suggestions of an underlying racial motivation.The Gardaí's statement about the matter cited "public safety concerns" but that doesn't explain how an innocuous gathering of people inside and outside a vintage shop escalated into baton-charging, threats of pepper-spray and a disproportionate number of guards clearing the busy Temple Bar area with an unwarranted heavy-handiness.The incident happened, in an increasingly hostile environment for minority communities in Ireland. Why was a block party in Temple Bar, that was giving no immediate pressing trouble, met with violence, while violence at far right protests and the burning of buildings earmarked for asylum seekers goes unpunished?Ireland is seeing an increasing number of anti-immigrant accounts online, and the verbal abuse of people of colour has increased, while just this week, the government's Justice Minister Helen McEntee has dropped the incitement or hate speech sections of the Criminal Justice Bill.On this week's podcast, we talk to Silent Jee, a DJ on the night about what went down from his perspective, and how the guards showing up at the block party is nothing new. We explore how these kinds of actions are familiar to black and POC in Ireland's creative community. We talk to Mo Cultivation's Bekah Molony about what allies and peers can do and how nothing has changed since the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. Things have arguably gone the other way.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From now on, the Best of the Month episode is Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 25 minutes or so. Patreon members get to hear the whole episode on their member feeds or on Patreon direct. It's the Nialler9 Podcast's monthly episode where Niall and Andrea recommend albums and songs of recent weeks.Episode 261 of the Nialler9 Podcast features albums from MJ Lenderman and Sabrina Carpenter, along with songs from Moin, Adore, RÓIS, and a song discovery from Another Love Story festival.We also pay tribute to Eoin French, of the Cork project Talos who sadly passed away last month.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistFollow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode #260 of the Nialler9 Podcast is a long overdue Andrea deep dive into the life and times and music of Josh Tillman aka Father John Misty - Andrea's Cool Big Guy.Over nearly TWO HOURS, Andrea takes us through the highlights of his albums: Fear Fun, I Love You, Honeybear; Pure Comedy, God's Favourite Customer and Chloë and the Next 20th Century, his run of albums from 2012 to 2022.Our chat takes in topics of masculinity, lyrical explorations, cynicism, playing with character and performer roles, entertainment, ecology, doom-laden rants, societal schisms, online living, political nightmares and psychedelic experiences. You know... the small stuff.The Nialler9 Podcast presents a Listening Party for Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear (2015) at The Big Romance in Dublin on Wednesday September 25th at 7pm. Join Niall and Andrea for a playback of a compelling grandstanding album all about love, romance tempered by the cyncism and internal struggle of a man and songwriter who can't quite put faith in the idea that love might be the answer. Buy tickets here.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon to hear all full episodes, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community.Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify Playlist Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Niall is joined by journalist and arts writer Aoife Barry to review the fourth album from the Fontaines - new chapter, new label, new look, new sound for the band?Romance signifies some change from the Fontaines, their first on new label XL Recordings, they have graduated from the indie producer du jour Dan Carey with James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Blur, Depeche Mode, Florence and the Machine, Gorillaz ) at the controls, a producer used to big music stage sounds.Romance brings a mix of guitar rock genres - shoegaze, 80s Irish and UK indie, ‘90s alt-rock, grunge, into their fold, while retaining their core Fontaines sound. Yet, the songs are among the brightest they've done.Grian Chatten's lyrics have transcended their Dublin roots and embraced a universality. The preoccupation with a city of origin is replaced by Romance as a concept.His vocals have grown on this record, more soaring, more melodic, brighter, less gutteral, more commanding and varied.But is it any good? Dive into Romance with us.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon to hear all full episodes, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community.Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistFollow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From now on, the Best of the Month episode is going Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 20 minutes or so. Patreon members get to hear the whole episode on their member feeds or on Patreon direct. It's the Nialler9 Podcast's monthly episode where Niall and Andrea recommend albums and songs of recent weeks.Episode 258 of the Nialler9 Podcast features Niall and Andrea discussing the Olympics, a brief review of All Together Now, Optimo at Hang Dai and more.Up for discussion on the music tips are: albums from Clairo, Remi Wolf, Clara La San; tunes from A Lazarus Soul, Charli XCX, Kynsy, Merce Lemon, Devon Again, Chanel Beads, Fcukers and Father John Misty. Plus an unreleased gem from Phil Lynott?* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistFollow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Siobhan McClean aka shiv is an Irish-Zimbabwean producer, singer-songwriter of neo-soul, RnB and lo-fi hip-hop who has shared two songs from the forthcoming debut album the defiance of a sadgirl this September, 'Limerence' and 'Cherry Pie', the latter featuring Kojaque, and produced by Gaptoof.I spoke to Shiv about the nature of collaborating and connecting with different artists and producers for this episode of the Nialler9 podcast, ahead of Shiv's set at All Together Now Festival this August Bank Holiday weekend, where Shiv plays on the Jameson Connects The Circle Stage at 7pm on the Friday night. Shiv will be debuting a special song and joined by her collaborator on the song James Vincent McMorrow.The forthcoming album is a reflection of the personal upheaval she experienced, including a breakup, leaving a major label, parting ways with her manager, and moving countries. Shiv talks about how studying psychology has influenced her songwriting.Shiv also talks about her influences and we focus on songs from Kanye, James Vincent McMorrow, Dijon, Ari Lennox, and Negro Impacto (see below).The Jameson Connects: The Circle stage at All Together Now features some Nialler9 favourites including Optimo, Just Mustard, The Murder Capital, qbanaa, Aby Coulibaly, Morgano, Sloucho, Rachael Lavelle and more.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon to hear all full episodes, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community.Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exploring a subset of electronic music made in France from the years 1996 to 2004.It's the latest episode in the Niall explains a dance music genre to Andrea series.What is French Touch? For some it means house music of French origin of the '90s and 2000s. For me, it's more defined.French Touch is more of a subgenre almost exclusively made by French producers - French dance music rooted in samples of old disco records where strings, bass and vocals were rerouted through a Chicago house music 4/4 beat and given a retro futuristic sheen with shiny synthesisers and a compressed cosmic atmosphere. A sense of majique can we say?It was part of a near 10 year period from the mid 90s to the early-2000s in which French dance music dominated, a time in which Parisian cool, French fashion and influence dripped out of the country's culture, whether it was Daft Punk's world domination, Ed Banger Records' electro cachet on dancefloors worldwide, fashion and record label Kitsune's coveted Maison compilations or Phillipe Zdar's influence on music production.For our short history of French Touch, we will feature music from Alan Braxe, DJ Falcon, Thomas Bangalter, Stardust, Cassius, Together, The Paradise Étienne De Crecy and the omnipresent Daft Punk.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon to hear all full episodes, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community.Show notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistFrench Touch companion playlistListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From this episode going forward, the Best of the Month episode is going Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 20 minutes or so for free but to hear the whole episode you'll have to sign up to Patreon to hear all 70 minutes of the podcast.It's the Nialler9 Podcast's monthly episode where Niall and Andrea recommend albums and songs of recent weeks.Episode 255 of the Nialler9 Podcast features Niall and Andrea discussing the latter's trip to seeTaylor Swift in Dublin (Andrea's review is here), and Niall went to LCD Soundsystem, and, got happily divorced this month. REAL LIFE STUFF.Musically we are talking albums from Mabe Fratti and Kneecap, and songs from MJ Lenderman, Skinner, Charli XCX and Lorde, Sabrina Carpenter, Soccer Mommy, the batshit clubccordion polkapop song from Kesha and literally, music for tomato plants.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistFollow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's our annual look at the contenders for the song of the summer.There's no formula for writing a song of the summer, the same way that you can't guarantee a Christmas classic, but there are some ground rules that seem to apply for most of the songs in contention every year.As noted by Mark Savage's The secrets of a hit summer song piece, some key things a song has to be simple (like Whigfield's 'Saturday Night'), It should make you feel like you're on holiday ('Pon De Replay' / 'Club Tropicana'), novelty is good, whether that means meme-friendly, silly ('Macarena') or a novel mix of styles (like Old Town Road's mix of country and rap) but most importantly it should be released before the summer, ideally mid April - early May latest.We added a few more rules of our own - including mentions of food and drink are good, controversy can be helpful, titillation can work, melancholy, anticipation and the song's unquantifiable repeatable vibe that doesn't grate over months of listening via rooftops, out of cars, festivals, clubs and pubs. A catchy lyric is essential - are you ready to match our freak?But really the song of the summer is a nebulous accolade, and ultimately decided by too many factors to identity.This year's main contenders include Kabin Crew's 'The Spark', Sabrina Carpenter's 'Espresso', Tommy Richman's 'Million Dollar Baby', Chappell Roan's 'Good Luck Babe', Charli XCX's '360', Kendrick's 'Not Like Us' and songs from Tik-Tok memes, Billie Eilish, Jamie xx, Tinashe, Hozier, Shaboozey and more.We take them at their word and consider each for the ultimate summer medal - the song of the summer 2024. Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify Playlist Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a new album special as we take a deep dive into Charli XCX's sixth album brat.On Episode 253 we are joined by Kelly Doherty (of The Vinyl Factory, Satellite Towns and formerly Nialler9) to discuss all things brat from the clubby rollout to the surprising vulnerability and insecurities on Charli's latest record.We put in context of her career, it girls, relationships, motherhood and how big of an artist Charli XCX really is now.Plus, Kelly shares her favourite Charli songs including three under-rated favs.Listen to the episode or subscribe in your favourite podcast app: * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify Playlist Follow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the Nialler9 Podcast's monthly episode where Niall and Andrea recommend albums and songs of recent weeks.Episode 252 of the Nialler9 Podcast and we are excited and enthusing about music of May. There are songs from Kynsy, His Father's Voice, PinkPantheress, Clairo, Kawaii Hoe and Charli XCX.And albums this month from Papa Romeo, Billie Eilish, Carlos Danger, Niamh Regan and yes, the Challengers score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistBest of the MonthFollow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Episode 251, Niall gets the chance to talk about one of his favourite all-time records from his favourite band. "Don't try this at home on your dad's stereo — only under strict hip-hop supervision.."]Join Niall and Andrea to hear why Beastie Boys' fourth album from 1994 Ill Communication is one of the best around - with chat about how the band recorded and made it, where the put the Beasties in the context of their discography and their career, the artwork, B-sides, Adam Yauch's spiritual enlightenment, political activism through the Milarepa Fund and Tibetan Freedom Concert and how the band addressed their previous Licensed To Ill misogyny.Ill Communication is defined by a melting pot of hip-hop, punk, jazz-fusion, flute samples, funk, rare groove records and Tibetan monk chanting.Plus, the brilliance of 'Sabotage', the Letterman performance and the best music video of all-time?And Niall reveals that his first ever website was a Beastie Boys one in 1999 that he made with his friend Ciaran.This week's episode is a companion podcast to our Listening Party of the album in the Big Romance on Wednesday May 29th. Buy a ticket here to join us.Show notesSpotify Playlist - Songs played on the PodcastSabotage on Letterman Nialler's first website - A Beastie Boys site - Alright Hear This on the Way Back Machine.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the Nialler9 Podcast's monthly episode where Niall and Andrea talk about the albums and songs they loved this month.It's episode 250 (!) of the Nialler9 Podcast and we are sharing our enthusiasm for albums from Curtisy, Rachel Chinouriri, Jessica Pratt, Bálordabreen and tracks from Chappell Roan, Jamie xx, Baby Rose / BadBadNotGood, Sloucho, Taylor, CMAT , Charli XCX and a tribute to Steve Albini.Along with the What's Consuming You corner with chat about Ripley and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and more.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen to the episode below or subscribe in your favourite podcast app:Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistBest of the Month Spotify list.Follow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 249 of the Nialler9 Podcast and we have a grab bag free-range episode with Niall and Andrea discussing:Hozier is the first Irish artist in 34 years to get a US #1The Kendrick, Drake, J. Cole rap beefThe reaction to Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets DepartmentThe Electric Picnic lineupLankum, CMAT and Jazzy nominated for Ivor Novello AwardsEarly club nights are a thingSong of the summer contender: EspressoCindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee - the power of one review and relative release obscurityShow notesSpotify Playlist - Songs played on the PodcastCoachella Isn't Dead—but It May Be Haunted* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedFollow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The West Kerry DJ and radio presenter Cian Ó Cíobháin marks 25 years of An Taobh Tuathail, his alternative new music show which has been running for five nights a week on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta since 1999.Cian joins us to pick 6 tracks to represent his radio show over the years, and to discuss his process, DJing and how he has managed to present a world-renowned radio show for so long in a fickle media industry.Tracks selected come from To Rococo Rot, St. Germain, Dead Can Dance, Fairmont, Loner Deluxe and Mike Smalle.Cian is marking 25 years of ATT on his show from Monday 29th April to Friday 3rd May, wheree he feature all exclusive new music, previously unreleased and unheard outside of the musicians' studios, from artists he admire from home and abroad, including Peter Gordon, Works Of Intent, Dian Cécht, Blamhaus, Elliot Adamson, The Shen, Meljoann, Man Power, Junk Drawer and Ambient Babestation Meltdown and Borai. Two Disco Dána parties in Galway (Cuba venue on Saturday 4th May) and Dublin (at Hen's Teeth - Friday 31st May.) are also lined up.----ATT airs every Monday from 11pm to 1am and from Tuesday to Friday from 10pm to midnight.—Show notesSpotify Playlist - Songs played on the Podcast Radio show Archive - ATT* Support Nialler9 on Patreon.Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 247 is a deep dive into a seminal '90s debut album from Fiona Apple.Fiona Apple – Tidal (1996)The debut album from the then 18 year-old American singer-songwriter established the artist's unique raw songcraft that blends pop, rock, and jazz. Featuring the songs ‘Criminal', ‘Shadowboxer', ‘Sleep to Dream', and ‘The First Taste', Tidal is a fully-formed classic of the mid-90s written from the hardened perspective of a young woman surviving the world. We discuss the album, how Fiona Apple got her record deal, how the media at the time largely focused on Apple's looks in the context of album reviews , how this "sullen girl" / strong-willed opinionated young woman was treated by the music industry, and how the album stacks up nearly 30 years later.This week's episode is a companion podcast to our Listening Party of the album in the Big Romance on Wednesday April 24th. Buy a ticket here to join us.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon.Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSpotify Playlist - Songs played on the Podcast Fiona Apple & the Sexist Critics in the 90sIdiotalk Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Niall and Andrea are talking about the A B, and Cs of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé's eighth studio album on Episode 246.A for AmericaB For BeyonceC for Country(and D for Discourse)This 80 minutes and 27 track album, serving as Act 2 in the Renaissance trilogy, was purported to be Beyoncé's country album. That's not what has bolted from the stables. Cowboy Carter is not a country album, but it does feature a lot of country music sounds, references and personnel. it's Beyonce kicking through the saloon doors of country and inviting whoever or whatever sound she wants alongside her. It's more of a cultural reclamation of black AMERICAN music, with the origin story being that night in 2016 when Beyoncé performed Daddy Issues at the Country Music Awards in 2016, and made the traditionalists mad.Cowboy Carter is an odyssey through American music of black origin, black country heritage, with Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, opera, bluegrass, Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, Westerns, "real instruments", Rodeo, Chuck Berry, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Jon Batiste, Rhiannon Giddens outlaws, shotguns and giddy ups and shotgun riders.Join us for an very interesting chat about it.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen to the episode below or subscribe in your favourite podcast app:Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistFollow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the Nialler9 Podcast's monthly episode where Niall and Andrea talk about the albums and songs they loved this month.Episode 245 is a ping-pong new disco recommends, with music discussed from Waxahatchee, Adrianne Lenker, New Jackson, Tatyana, Travis & Elzzz, Glass Beams, Charli XCX, Havvk, Group Listening, Two Shell / FKA Twigs and Mildlife (I guess)...Along with the What's Consuming You corner with a sci-fi TV show we both loved this month.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen to the episode below or subscribe in your favourite podcast app:Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistFollow Nialler9 on Insta | Twitter | Youtube | Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month's deep dive Listen Closely album is:Portishead - Dummy (1994)The debut album from the Bristol trio of Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons, and Adrian Utley was released during the summer of Blur's Parklife and Oasis's Definitely Maybe. Dummy was a darker, stranger record that would become a trip-hop classic that paired hip-hop, jazz, and electronic textures with Beth Gibbons spine-tingling voice and twangy tremolo guitars that belong in spy movies.The winner of the 1995 Mercury Music Prize, Dummy features the singles ‘Sour Times', ‘Glory Box', and ‘Numb', and is notable for it soulful turntable-sampling, melancholic film noir atmosphere. A modern classic indeed. We delve deep into how the band met, what trip-hop and the Bristol sound was, how the band got their name, how Dummy became hugely popular and a bit of a dinner-party LP ripe for sexy background music in film and more.The hosts of the Nialler9 Podcast (Niall Byrne and Andrea Cleary) present the Listen Closely series of listening parties on the Big Romance's warm Toby Hatchett soundsystem, featuring a focus modern classic album and a chat around it on the last Wednesday of the month.The Portishead - Dummy Listening Party happens Wednesday March 27th at The Big Romance.Thanks to Georgia Hallion for editing the podcast.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify PlaylistKEXP 25 year anniversary interview in 2019Dummy SamplesPitchfork's review by By Philip Sherburne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is a bit of a grab bag of news items, but musicians speaking truth to power is a common theme.Niall and Andrea discuss:Lankum winning the Choice Music Prize and their speech that encouraged the boycott of IsraelKneecap's show of Solidarity with Palestine on the Late Late Show & their US TV debut All the Irish bands including Kneecap who then cancelled their SXSW Festival shows this week in protest at US Military involvement Leo Varadkar wants nothing to do with bringing in the long-proposed Irish nightlife laws any time soonJames Blake weighs in on streaming being broken, in a time which increasingly feels like it's going towards a tipping pointThe growing crisis in music - How the rising cost of living is affecting bands' ability to create art and make money to live.“You can get a Grammy nomination and you still can't afford to rent a one-bedroom flat in London,” says Grian Chatten of Dublin's Fontaines DC,And the minor furore over an out-of-context use of quote from The Last Dinner Party - "People don't want to listen to post-punk and hear about the cost of living crisis any more.”* Get this podcast ad-free and with additional playlists, Discord community access, Nialler9 and Lumo event discounts on Patreon from €5 a month.Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the Nialler9 Podcast's monthly episode where Niall and Andrea talk about the albums and songs they loved in the last four weeks.Episode 242 is a return to the music recommends corner, featuring new album picks from Fynch, Thee U.F.O, Declan McKenna, Mohammad Syfkhan and new songs from Adrianne Lenker, Brittany Howard, Niamh Regan, Jessica Pratt, The Decemberists and Beck.Along with the What's Consuming You corner with TV, books and films we are vibing with lately.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen to the episode below or subscribe in your favourite podcast app:Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify Playlist Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this near-annual episode, Niall and Andrea are joined by writer and journalist Sophia McDonald to discuss the 10 nominated albums in this year's Choice Music Prize Irish album of the year 2023 category, as chosen by 11 judges.  The albums are:Grian Chatten – Chaos For The Fly (Partisan Records)The debut album from the Fontaines DC frontman.CMAT – Crazymad, For Me (CMATBABY/AWAL)The second album from Ireland's global country pop superstar.John Francis Flynn – Look Over The Wall, See The Sky (River Lea Recordings)The second album from the Dublin folkie turns with a contemporary twist.Kojaque – Phantom Of The Afters (Soft Boy Records)he second full-length album (not counting previously nominated mixtape Deli Daydreams) from the London-based Dublin rapper.Lankum – False Lankum (Rough Trade Records)The fourth album from Ireland's leading doom folk trad band.Rachael Lavelle – Big Dreams (Rest Energy)The Irish songwriter and avant-pop practitioner's debut album.Soda Blonde – Dream Big (Overbite Records)The second album from Dublin alt-pop band.The Murder Capital – Gigi's Recovery (Human Season Records)The second album from the Dublin rock band who have softened somewhat for album two.The Scratch – Mind Yourself (Perrystown Music Limited)The second album from the Dublin trad-folk-metal band.Ezra Williams – Supernumeraries (Ezra Williams / AWAL)The debut album from the Cork singer-songwriter.–Niall, Andrea and guest Sophia discuss the albums in detail and decide which of the ten they individually think a) would like to win and b) will win the award.The actual winner of the Prize announced at the live event in Vicar Street on March 7th, and is broadcast live on RTÉ 2FM in a special four-hour extended show with Beta Da Silva from 7-11pm. A special TV show will be broadcast on Thursday 14th March at 22.30 on RTÉ2.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The hosts of the Nialler9 Podcast (Niall Byrne and Andrea Cleary) in conjunction with The Big Romance present the Listen Closely series of listening parties, a night featuring a focus album from an artist we love on the last Wednesday of the month.To accompany the monthly listening party on Wednesday February 28th – 7.30pm @ The Big Romance, we present a Nialler9 Podcast episode all about this month's chosen album....This month: Laurie Anderson – Big Science (1982)“This is the time/and this is the record of the time.”An album that was ahead of its time upon release, Big Science draws from Anderson's multi-media performance art piece United States I-IV, and presents an experimental avant-garde electronics , art-rock and spoken word prophetic dissection of 80s America that spawned a surprising pop hit with the towering O Superman.Andrea takes the lead on why this album is noteworthy and important.Listen Closely is a chance for the music heads, to appreciate a modern classic album on the Big Romance's warm Toby Hatchett soundsystem with a chat about the record on the night. More info.Big special extra thanks to Georgia Hallion for editing the podcast.* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS FeedShow notesSongs played on the Nialler9 Podcast Spotify Playlist Laurie Anderson plays music for dogs Marcello Giordani - O Superman (Disco Spacer Mix) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's pod, it's a deep dive into an album from one of our perennial favourites, as it celebrates 20 years.It's the turn of the MF DOOM and Madlib's classic 2004 album Madvillainy by Madvillain, a dense, psychedelic, colourful rap album that quickly cemented itself as one of the best rap albums of all time when it came out on Stones Throw that year.Why is Madvillain so important?It's the sound of two masters of their craft - Madlib deep crate-digging wizz of flipped samples which avoided the musical grid and DOOM's "tripping off the beat kinda" rhymes which defied expectation and form, and became endlessly quotable while retaining complex and comedic intent. Madvillainy is the sound of two elusive creatives ricocheting off each other's oddball styles with disorienting brilliance.Niall and Andrea discuss the album's gestation, recording, leak, samples, lyrics and mythology.In January, we hosted a Listen Closely listening party in the Big Romance in Dublin with this album. Our next one will be Wednesday February 28th with Laurie Anderson's Big Science. Tickets on sale next week.Big special extra thanks to Georgia Hallion for editing the podcast.Patreon supporters get the episode ad-free on Patreon* Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord communityListen to the episode below or subscribe in your favourite podcast app:Listen on Apple | Android | ACAST | Patreon | Pocketcasts | CastBox | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS Feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.