'fairly local' ~ music news

As we sit upon the brink of another find Summer of local music, we felt it would be an ideal time to round up all the amazing things happening across the country right now. So here, in as convenient a list as we could possibly muster, are five things to check out this week...

1. Hot Cops & Leo Drezden play live session for Smalltown America

Belfast's Hot Cops rapid ascent into the hearts and minds of the general public took another leap forward recently, as they performed live at Smalltown America HQ alongside Dublin's firmly established hazy rock queens-Leo Drezden. Firing out a selection of old and new tracks, the enormous sounds of 'Decay' and 'Six' closed a special set for the three piece. The label is of course home to the likes of PØRTS, Axis Of & Jetplane Landing; and if this performance is anything to go by, Hot Cops stand up proudly, amongst such elite company.

Although the live session is no longer available for streaming, keep an eye out on the Smalltown America website for re-releases ~ or go see Hot Cops live.

In fact, just do that.

2. New Volume Control team continue strong start

Capitalising on their quality debut gig in the cosy confines of The Oh Yeah Centre, this years new Volume Control team took some of Belfast's finest up North to the Nerve Centre, Derry//Londonderry. Headlined by former Glastonbury performers The Wood Burning Savages, the high quality bill also included Serotonin (playing a selection of new songs alongside fan favorites like 'Cold Coffee'), a significantly funkier Hurdles and a whirlwind of heavy-energy from R51.

(You can catch Serotonin live at this Friday's installment of 'Modern life Is Rubbish' in The Pavilion Bar, Belfast ~ £5 entry)

3. Matthew Duly unleashes new project...'Shadow Police'

Whitehead based singer-songwriter Matthew Duly's dulcet tones and nostalgic songwriting has never left him short of admirers in the Northern Irish music scene; but last week the man behind the quiff unveiled 'Shadow Police', a two piece dream-pop duo already in possession of a lead single. Rooted somewhere between New Order's chaotic visions and Twenty One Pilot's melody driven chorus', Encore NI fully expects the synth drenched duo to achieve great things.

Hear the track below⁞►

4. 'Jealous Of The Birds' steal the nation's hearts...

A few months ago Naomi Hamilton was just another bedroom musician, making sweet sounds for no one in-particular. Indeed, upon the release of her debut Ep 'Capricorn', the pianist's only ambitions were quite literally "that the songs sound like a real friend talking".

Just over a month later and her pseudonym 'Jealous Of The Birds' has become the hype act in Belfast, with 'Capricorn' gaining acclaim from everyone from legendary local producer Rocky O'Reilly, to Radio 1's Phillip Taggart. Somewhere between Jealous Of The Bird's sea-breeze melodies and soft, sweet tone lies a darkness more suited to the North Coast, than her native Portadown. With such confidence radiating from these home recordings, a studio release is an exhilarating prospect.

Already gaining interest from the likes of Smalltown America, 'Jealous Of The Birds' is a name worth remembering. Find her debut Ep below⁞►

5. Ciaran Lavery & Ryan Vail to launch new album 'Sea Legs' on SS Nomadic

Having racked up over 11 million plays on streaming site 'Spotify', there's a certain inevitability to the success of the awesome Ciaran Lavery. Collaborating with electronic Ryan Vail, his latest release 'Sea Legs' promises to be a special record, the acoustic songwriter's craft now molded, it seems, for stadia far beyond our own shores. In such an intimate and unusual setting, this promises to be one of the gigs of the year ~ tickets available now.