The Goo 1
Albums Slouch - Who Do You Think You Are? I Am -
Adhamh O’Caoimh Starting out somewhere between crisp tones of the masterful ‘Sketches for My Sweetheart, The Drunk’, and the skewed earworms of math-rock darlings Minus The Bear, Dublin based four piece Slouch step out of the gate with two impressive tracks showcasing the four pieces inimitable way around a hook. . Their penchant for memorable songcraft and detailed production bring to mind our esteemed editors well regarded band, Sack, and elsewhere some elements of Japanese fuzz guitar god Michio Kurihara come to mind, before things take a decidedly more progressive turn with ‘Zanzibar’, which boasts an awkward and impossibly memorable hook that Zappa would have enjoyed. The ambition and versatility on offer is matched by the execution, as across a range of , Slouch have an aptitude for both assimilating these peculiarities of genre and reimagining them in their own inimitable image. The psychedelic grooves of ‘Honda’ might recall the bohemian indie movement of the early noughties, before the twelve minute behemoth of a closer that is the title track. A tense, wheeling drama akin to Mastodon’s ‘Hearts Alive’, had it only been written by advocates of Fugazi rather than High on Fire. An entirely new act to myself, this cracker of a record has inspired me to delve into their back catalogue, and to urge others to do the same. Highly recommended. Dublin and is a soundtrack to his own personal odyssey from his South American roots to Ireland. He has gathered together a stellar cast of Irish and Venezuelan musicians with percussion from Lebanon and vocals from Mexican Alicia Garcia. A truly international crew, but with a cohesive, naturally simpatico sound. The album features seven songs reflecting the experience of migration which should resonate with many Irish listeners who have hit the road from these shores: the exciting buzz of new sensations but also the loss and longing for friends and family as well as the gritting of teeth in the face of setbacks and rejection. The mood is a kind of jazz folk, with a deep spiritual undercarriage. “Pacienca” with Garcia’s vocals has echoes of Flora Purim’s Brazilian jazz fusion while “Anda” features Fender Rhodes and lyrical soprano sax alongside Orlando’s delicate guitar work. The overall effect is a joyful, fluid musical journey with exceptional playing. A beautiful addition to the Irish jazz landscape. Orlando Molina - Autorretrato en tres colores (Self-Portrait in Three Colours) - Brendan White Orlando Molina is a Dublin based Venezuelan guitarist, whose delicate, highly melodic approach blends classical, jazz and Latin American influences into a rich brew of instrumental acoustic music. “Autorretrato …” is his debut album recorded at Hellfire Studios, 12 Rory Sweeney - Old Earth - Shar Dullaghan Following 2022’s Trash Catalogue, Rory Sweeney’s sophomore album Old Earth is heavily influenced by Stone Tape Theory; a theory that suggests that ghosts, hauntings, and supernatural phenomena are results of traumatic events imprinted on the land, playing in loops, a concept Sweeney has beautifully executed in the lush and eclectic soundscapes of the album. In Old Earth Sweeney takes on the persona of a folklore archivist, collecting samples and melodies from our most prominent Irish artists right now including RÓIS, Saoirse Millar, Ahmed, with love and Curtisy, and melding them with the mythology of our land. Opening with ethereal Entrance Places (ft. Saoirse Millar, RÓIS & Risteárd ÓhAodha), images of a breaking dawn and the Tuatha Dé Danann fill your mind, accompanied by resonating bells and entrancing melodies, you are lulled to a standstill, to bask in the glow of this track. The mysticism is unbroken throughout the album, be it through the descriptive dream sequences of Ether_live2024 (ft. EMBY), the keening and D&B in As Old As Time Itself (ft. RÓIS), or the laissez faire tonguein-cheek approach in Mideval Times (ft. Curtisy & Ahmed, With Love.) Sweeney captures the essence of modern folklore beautifully in Old Earth, and positions to us, that our culture is not just found in the portal dolmens and sprawling fields of green in our countryside, but also in the urban sprawls of Dublin, in our council estates, in all we have to offer in this tiny little island.