Having received its premiere at the Button Factory over the weekend, you can now watch the A Joyful Slog documentary online. Put together by the Community Of Independents collective it is absolutely essential viewing for anyone with an interest in the Irish music scene and features interviews with all the key players of the last…

In an age when the majority of buzz bands come our way armed with a bucketful of hype, the success of Alabama Shakes has been a breath of fresh, if old fashioned, air. Formed in Athens three years ago, the four piece toured, released an EP and toured some more before catching the world’s attention…

This week saw the first part of the late John Peel’s record collection go online as part of an Arts Council funded project. Visitors to the new website can browse a new alphabetical section of the collection every week, as well as exploring old session tracks and radio shows. It’s all as impressive as it…

As well as featuring a range of international acts, next weekend’s Camden Crawl Dublin will also feature the cream of home grown talent. Once such band are Tieranniesaur, the seven piece who have grown from a home recording into one of the country’s most exciting names in less than a year. State spoke to Annie…

Once known as Talulah Does The Hula (and before that members of The Chalets and SuperNeoVital), September Girls have just released their debut single on Scottish label Soft Power. Limited to 100 cassettes, the sound of the two tracks is a lot more lo-fi than before. The band play the Button Factory on Sunday.
September…

As spotted by the eagle eyed Stuart Clark of Hot Press, Azealia Banks has cancelled the majority of her European festival dates for this summer due to recording commitments. Leaving only the BBC Radio 1 Hackney weekender and Reading / Leeds, it means that we won’t be seeing her at the Electric Picnic in September.…

If dedication really is what you need if you want to be the best, it’s no wonder that the Popical Island collective have risen to such exalted status in a short space of time. Joining the community of like minded musicians seems akin to becoming part of a cult, rejecting family and friends in the…

Tomorrow sees the release of the second album from Marina & The Diamonds, the follow up to debut Family Jewels. Electra Heart… finds the singer adding a dash of hi-energy pop to her dramatic song writing and includes the latest single ‘Primadonna’. We have five copies to give away to State readers. Just tell

As you can’t help have noticed, the Camden Crawl Dublin is just around the corner and – as well as the main festival – there’s a healthy programme of free fringe events on the Saturday night (12th May). The likes of Tara Masterson Hally, Swords and Simon Bird will all be appearing around town, but…

How often have you seen a live band who just look bored by the whole process, as if the very task of taking your money in the name of entertainment is just too much hassle? To cap it all, they’re normally only on their second or third album. Imagine being Elvis Costello then, still cranking…

We’re less than a month away from the inaugural Meteor Camden Crawl Dublin festival, a two day gathering of the best in new music from home abroad, as well as a few established names thrown in for good measure, and spread across the venues of the city.
State is delighted to be a media partner…

Liz Lawrence has spent a lot of time in Ireland of late, the UK singer songwriter choosing to launch her fine Bedroom Hero… album here. State took the opportunity to put her together with Andrew Jordan for a version of ‘I’d Rather’ down by the Grand Canal in Dublin.

Still one of the oddest major label signings of the year in our book, Death Grips release the first of albums for 2012 this week in the shape of The Money Store…. In a move that’s sure to endear them to their new bosses, you can listen to the whole thing below.

Brighton’s Fujiya & Miyagi return to Ireland this weekend for shows at The Village in Dublin (Friday) and Black Box in Belfast (Saturday), both in support of their fourth album Ventriloquizzing. The band’s David Best undertakes the State quizzing.
Who are you and where are you from?…
My name is David Best from the