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Sean Trelford DeathbyRomy 5. Sean Trelford The 19
-year-old British multi-instrumentalist Sean Trelford has been studying art, literature, and music for most of his life, and crafting and releasing his own material for a quarter of it! Combining elements of easy listening, jazz, indie, alt-rock, and psych, Sean’s influences have birthed an idiosyncratic world of existential pondering layered beneath a tapestry of mystic textures. It’s not every day that you can recommend an artist for fans of both Radiohead and Mother Earth’s Plantasia, but here we are. Recommended Taster: “ever since you loved me” LIONSTORM 6. Man/Woman/Chainsaw The London-based six-piece Man/Woman/ Chainsaw, on our cover, craft what I would describe as “epic angst.” They’re all skilled musicians and vocalists, but what really adds dimension to this project is the addition of keys and violin. They’re a hard project to nail down in terms of neat descriptors, but, to try my best, imagine if Verdi orchestrated a night of anarcho-punk music as played by musicians that had the dexterity of Led Zeppelin. That’s about as close an approximation as I can make. Recommended Taster: “What Lucy Found There” 7. LIONSTORM Wi-Fi, telescopes, Bluetooth, Heineken, and capitalism…the Dutch have given the world a lot, and that list now includes the Amsterdam queer industrial duo LIONSTORM. This act is not for the faint of heart, but if unapologetically explicit lyrics about domination and cunnilingus that somehow double as social critique that you can dance to sound up your alley, then LIONSTORM are a must-catch. Recommended Taster: “Daddy’s Pussy” The Pill 8. The Pill If you’re a fan of acts like Lambrini Girls, Mannequin Pussy, or M(h)aol, you’ll want to check out the queercore punk duo The Pill. From the Isle of Man, the same patch of land that has given us acts like Wet Leg and Coach Party in recent years, these caulkheads have been making a splash with their wry and sarcastic tunes, which deal with gender inequality and queer rights. Having played across Europe and opened for the likes of Green Day and Sprints, this will be their first time in Ireland. Recommended Taster: “Woman Driver” 9. DeathbyRomy One of two non-European acts that will be appearing over the weekend is the former Capitol Records-signed Los Angeles singer-songwriter DeathbyRomy. Former scene kids and/or fans of Bambie Thug will want to check out her intense trap-metal for themselves. Equally as welcomed at a metal festival as at a dance club, DeathbyRomy has been consistently touring the U.S. over the last half-decade and was chosen to support Enter Shakari on their recent European tour. This will be her first time in Ireland, so make her feel welcomed! Recommended Taster: “PRAY TO ME” Molly Payton 10. Molly Payton Incorporating elements of folk, alternative, grunge, and indie, the Kiwi “sad-girl” singersongwriter Molly Payton has been writing introspective music since moving to London at age sixteen. In her homeland, she has supported the likes of Alex G and Palace at the legendary Powerstation in Auckland, and was the opening act for beabadoobee’s entire Oceania tour in 2022. She has also become a favourite artist of Tom Odell, with whom she has toured the UK and Europe several times. See for yourself why these international stars have been paying attention to Payton when she makes her Irish debut at this year’s Borderline! Recommended Taster: “Honey” 18