After last month’s themed mixtape featuring an all female cast we’re back to our regular programming. That does not mean we won’t feature any women this time, that we are “all femaled-out”. I can assure you that the ladies keep making awesome music as usual and nothing has changed in that department. What I’d like to do this time is give you a little update on what’s new on this festival’s season in Ireland and on the new releases front. Let’s catch up with all the good news, shall we?

New events have been announced since the last time we had a look at what’s coming up this summer in the already extensive music calendar. All Together Now, Another Love Story and KnockanStockan have been added to the list of Irish festivals since. The first ever edition of All Together Now will be taking place August Bank Holiday weekend (3-5 August) at Curraghmore House in County Waterford.  With a lineup including ROISIN MURPHY, UNDERWORLD, BLACK MADONNA, HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR, BIIG PIIG, THE GO! TEAM, J COLLERAN, GHOSTPOET; as well PRINCE’s legendary NEW POWER GENERATION and the ultimate disco diva, CHAKA KHAN, the festival seems like an perfect place to be for dance and electronic music fans. Another Love Story (17-19 August at Killyon Manor in County Meath) and KnockanStockan (28 & 29 July) at the shores of Blessington Lakes are returning boutique festivals offering an extensive roster of new Irish musical talents and more. CLOUD CASTLE LAKE are among many acts to appear at Another Love Story. The Dublin indie rock quartet have just dropped their highly anticipated debut LP “Malingerer”. All three events are more then simply music festivals with art installations, comedy performances, workshops, great food and many more attractions. For the complete lineups and list of other things happening there and then check out their websites: www.alltogethernow.ie, www.anotherlovestory.ie, www.knockanstockan.ie .

The same goes for the magical-mystical-musical experience that is Body & Soul. 2018’s Alchemy Edition will be taking place during this year’s summer solstice. The festival announced its full lineup recently by adding JON HOPKINS (who’s new album Singularity drops 4th of May), IRON & WINE, GUNDELACH, WHOMADEWHO, SUSANNE SUNDRØF, SOULE, SAINT SISTER and BAXTER DURY.

I’ve mentioned Dun Laoghaire’s Beatyard, Forbidden Fruit and Longitude Festival in our February preview, but let’s have a fresh look at them through the artists featured this month’s mixtape, who recently released new music and those who have new albums in the pipeline. Saturday night (4th of August) at Beatyard will definitely belong to the jazz saxophonist and bandleader KAMASI WASHINGTOn. The musical visionary is preparing “Heaven & Earth”, his second double album (out 22nd of June). With politically charged, new track like “Fist of Fury” we can have a glimpse of how epic the record is going to be. One thing’s for sure, Mr Washington doesn’t do minimalism. Kamasi will share the stage with such artists as CONFIDENCE MAN (debut album, “Confident Music For Confident People” out now), DJANGO DJANGO, ORBITAL, the legendary Motown group, THE JACKSONS, hip-hop pioneers, THE SUGARHILL GANG and Jamaica’s premier ska band, THE SKATALITES, as well as some homegrown talents (LE BOOM, I AM THE COSMOS & LOAH).

Is you’re a dance/electronic music devotee and you’re not sure about your June Bank Holiday plans, then check out the complete line up for Dublin’s Forbidden Fruit, which includes WAR ON DRUGS, HOOKWORMS, KORNEL KOVACS, UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA, MOUNT ALASKA, SUPERORGANISM, BICEP, TENSNAKE, FOUR TET, RHYE, BONOBO as well as the hottest dj/producers of new wave of deep house: DJ SEINFELD, ROSS FROM FRIENDS. If new r’n’b and hip-hop is your kinda thang then Marley Park’s Longitude (13-15 July) will be definitely catering to your taste with PRINCESS NOKIA, TYLER, THE CREATOR, ANDERSON .PAAK, KALI UCHIS on the bill.

Last but not least, I have to at least mention Electric Picnic (31 August – 2 September), the biggest Music and Arts Festival in Ireland. The event has attracted so much interest that all the tickets sold out after the first batch of artists had been announced. There are new acts to be added to the bill later. The lucky ones who scored their passes will be enjoying live performances and dj sets by the likes of FRIENDLY FIRES, KENDICK LAMAR, THE BLAZE, TOM MITCH (“Geography” out now), NULIFER YANYA, YELLOW DAYS, SEVDALIZA, PEGGY GOU & ST VINCENT.

I’ve already listed few upcoming releases but obviously there is more when it comes to highly anticipated music on the way this summer. First up, some good news for the fans of 90’s trip-hop and electronic pop music. There’s three comeback albums that will please your earbuds heading your way.  MORCHEEBA will “Blaze Away” on the 1st of June, JAZZANOVA plan to take a dip in “The Pool” on the 29th of June and THIEVERY CORPORATION have already brought out the “Treasure from the Temple”. The fans of the same period, but heavier, guitar sound also have some reasons to rejoice as A PERFECT CIRCLE invite them to “Eat The Elephant” (out now), while we’re all waiting for highly anticipated album by TOOL. Grunge legends, PEARL JAM, tease a new album this year with a new single, “Can’t deny me”. All that, the prospect of a new LP by THE SMASHING PUMPKINS and news of THE CURE entering the studio very soon, should make the older indie fans, just like me, super excited about the rest of 2018.

There’s more. April still has something to offer with JANELLE MONAE’s “Dirty Computer” and TWIN SHADOW’s “Caer” dropping the same day (27th of April). American gospel and blues singer, LEON BRIDGES brings out the “Good Thing” (4th of May), which will be joined by DJ KOZE’s electronic disco effort “Knock Knock” featuring ROISIN MURPHY, JOSÉ GONZALES and LAMBCHOP’s KURT WAGNER. Dark dream popsters, BEACH HOUSE are set to release their 7th studio album lazily entitled “7” a week later (11th of May) and electro pop trio, CHVRCHES will proclaim that “Love is Dead” on 25th of May.  Everyone’s favourite, dry witted anti-hipster, FATHER JOHN MISTY is already releasing his forth effort entitled “God’s Favourite Customer” (1st of June) after last year’s critically acclaimed “Pure Comedy”. The Hottest new r’n’b talent to emerge from UK, JORJA SMITH, will make a debut with “Lost & Found (8th of June). The Smiths’ guitarist, Johnny Marr will “Call the Comet” on the new LP (15th of June). The fans of folky, bearded singer-songwriters with guitars will be getting their fix as DAMIEN JURADO (“The Horizon Just Laugted” - 4th of May), RAY LAMONTAGNE (“Part of the Light” – 18th of May) and RYLEY WALKER (“Deafman Glance” - 18th of May) are about to get seriously soft spoken and cozy.

             Make sure to check our regular feature, the section presenting new music form Poland, this time at the end of the playlist and get yourself familiar with BASS ASTRAL X IGO. Hailing from Kraków, the synth pop duo composed of Igor Walaszek and Kuba Tracz will be making their Dublin debut as a part of Taste of Poland event this year. For info about Taste of Poland (full roster, venue, tickets) got to Stargaze* Production Facebook page. 

Phew! This is going to be one awesome and busy season, filled with some great music, fun, fantastic moments and, hopefully, full of sunshine!

The summer awaits you! Happy exploring! 

Yours truly,

Piotrek NO SNOBS ALLOWED