Æ MAK's otherworldly soundscape, creative visuals, and punk-esque energy conceives a bewitching live act. With tribal rhythms, soaring synths and lush vocal harmonies the result is a holistic performance style that transports audiences to another realm.
2017 saw the band bring their distinctive performances to highly receptive audiences at a number of acclaimed Irish festivals including Body & Soul, Electric Picnic, Other Voices, Another Love Story and Hard Working Class Heroes; At their own headline shows throughout the country; Supporting likeminded songstresses Warpaint and making their UK debut at Liverpool Sound City.
Having taken the latter part of the year to compose a powerful cannon of genre defying material, Æ MAK will embark on a new journey in 2018, unveiling a refreshed artistic vision.
Refusing to be pigeonholed, Æ MAK are simply pop at it's best.
Three years on from an initial explosive emergence, the Dublin-based three-piece haven’t so much discovered their voice as relentlessly refined it. If anything, they relish in sharp declarations, their signature sound always moving forward even when throwing a nod to the past.
The aesthetic is raw, even a touch frenzied, yet the chaos is controlled in a ferocious through line that harnesses the strongest elements of rock, grunge, metal, hardcore and melodic electro-pop. Through it all, Bitch Falcon make this busy mix sing in a distinctive, once-heard-not-forgotten voice.
Pulsating tracks like ‘Wolfstooth’, ‘Syncope’, ‘TMJ’ and ‘Clutch’ speak to a band unwilling to sit still and stay quiet. These are songs of punch, grit and verve. Up close and personal, they make an even greater impact as the band’s deserved reputation as one of Ireland’s most engaging live prospects comes to the fore.
In their short time together, the trio have shared the stage with the likes of Fucked Up, Torche, Girl Band, The ZZZ’s, Glen Hansard,No Spill Blood and Les Butcherettes, unapologetically stealing the spotlight at every turn.
By the end of 2017, Bitch Falcon will have packed rooms in Toronto and Montreal for Canadian Music Week and POP, released 3 singles, played numerous shows in the UK and featured in festivals like Electric Picnic, Other Voices, Castlepalooza, Sea Sessions and completed two headline Irish tours.
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"Rock and roll at its most sprawling" - The Line of Best Fit
“Kicks a whole load of tight rhythmic ass and that’s enough.”- Nialler9
One of the most promising voices in electro-pop, Galway-based newcomer Cat Turner releases her debut EP 'Contrast’. Since debuting last year, the electro-synth artist has steadily gained fans with her seductive beats and distinctive, raw vocals. She is crafting her own niche of ‘Goth pop’, which has signaled the young producer-singer as one to watch; and looks set to continues her rise with this brooding new gem. There is an uneasy balance on ‘Waster’ that feels at any moment about to be disturbed; the shadowy synths and deep bass making for an unnerving mood of menace.
Having started producing a year ago, Cat has honed the nurtured sound that we hear now and shows immense technical maturity. She takes her cues from acts like Grimes and Tove Lo, and incorporates elements of electro and alt-pop that evoke her own keen sense of her own identity. Cat builds a visual style around her sound, choosing to make bold and artistic statements while defying convention. “The reason I started producing and doing everything myself first came from a place of necessity… now it comes from a place of total passion. It scared me to do it myself, which was the exact reason I had to.”
Dakota seamlessly blend California feels with Garage Rock and Dream Pop; and their music has remarkable skill in lulling the listener to close their eyes and drift away to the dreamy and hazy music - just before they take a swing and whack you right around the ears with raving guitar riffs and pounding rhythms. Having recently played some major festivals including the Great Escape, look out for Dakota as they make their way in the underground indie scene. This is most definitely a band to remember.
Eighteen-year-old singer-songwriter Eloïse has an old head on young shoulders and a “penchant for writing catchy, electronic noir-pop” (The Telegraph). She defies her youth with incredible poetic and emotional maturity; and her soaring vocals recall the intensity of London Grammar’s Hannah Reid with the streetwise swagger of Lana Del Rey.
Eloïse’s brooding electronic pop is doused in satirical lyricism. She strives to evade the Instagram-filtered veil of pop culture and reveal something raw and honest. Now He Wears White examines the mix of the emotions Eloïse has for ‘celebrity culture’ - how people turn to celebrities to worship and take some kind of moral message. Such veneers in society are a common theme in her lyrics. Previous tracks mocked the romanticised view of women killing for love (‘Marie Antoinette’), while ‘Studio 54’ was a metaphor for the pressures young people face today. In her own words, Eloïse’s music is a unique brand of “dark pop that always manages to be sinister, somehow," she says. "It's kind of a satirical look at myself and people like me."
Fifi Rong is a unique vocalist, songwriter and producer based in London.
Eccentric, deep and honest, Fifi brings pure emotional intimacy into her songs with a mesmerising voice, nuanced with the flair of her Chinese heritage. She incorporates a wide range of genres such as Electronica, Pop, Dub, Hip Hop, Soundscape and Jazz into her production, resulting in a singularly unexpected musical hybrid.
Hailing from Croydon, South London, and bringing neo-soul into the future, Kemi Ade delivers a melting pot of sounds; an effortless infusion of alternative neo-soul, jazz, hip-hop and folk.
Kemi’s music takes you on a journey; one which seemingly ends too quickly and yet continues to unfold new and relatable truths with each listen. Inflections of her inspirations, genre-creators Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild and Erykah Badu, are evident, yet Kemi is able to make every offering completely her own.
