words & photo//liz pelly

Dublin is a quaint city near the East Coast of the Republic of Ireland, located at the mouth of the scenic River Liffey. The city’s aesthetic is perpetually grey and drizzly, yet homey and captivating, with stone roads, old pubs, and short buildings. Dubliners (there are about 500,000 of them) tend to be friendly and conversational, with sharp but charming senses of sarcastic humor.

While living in Dublin this summer, I experienced this pervading niceness especially within Ireland’s tight-knit underground music scene, where a system of support and camaraderie is intact among Dublin’s artists, venues, promoters, writers, bloggers and record shops. Visible proof is found in Dublin’s numerous independent music collectives: Popical Island (a young pop collective), the Box Social (more experimental artists), Richter Collective (mostly punk, metal, and hardcore bands), Skinny Wolves (post-punk, art rock, no/new wave), and others I’m sure.

The community is more than just friendly and supportive though: it’s brimming with experimental, creative energy. Music from Ireland showcases hit CMJ and SXSW every year, bringing over talented folk artists like Villagers and Heathers. Those bands are great (check out Heathers’ sweet Pink Couch Session here) but there’s even more than that in Ireland at the moment: ambient electronic, psychedelic folk, lo-fi grunge-pop, noisy grrl-punk, etcetera. (Did you know My Bloody Valentine formed in Dublin in 1983?)

Below, find a mixtape with ten of my favorite artists I heard in Dublin this summer. The mix starts with a track by Patrick Kelleher, essential listening for fans of spooky Ariel Pink-type reworkings of pop sounds. Also on the experimental/electronic side of things are Children Under Hoof, Hipster Youth, Adebisi Shank, and Angkorwat. (Angkorwat was previously featured on Artist Advocacy.) One of my favorites here is Hipster Youth, who I saw open for Calvin Johnson at an apartment show this summer. Hipster Youth’s loopy, lo-fi 8-bit-influenced electronica record, Teenage Elders, can be downloaded for free via Bandcamp/Long Lost Records. Those who enjoy this end of the mixtape might also want to check out: catscars, School Tour, Hunter-Gatherer, and Laura Sheeran.

The second half of the mix delves into the poppier side of Dublin’s music community, featuring tracks by So Cow (who have toured the US a few times) plus Squarehead, Tierannisaur, and Yeh Deadlies. These are all hit singles, and originally appeared on a compilation by the Popical Island collective. One of the most memorable tracks on said compilation is “Fake Blood” by Squarehead, who play gritty Beach Boys-influenced pop songs, for fans of Best Coast, Wavves, or Weezer, and recently opened for No Age, Male Bonding, Deer Tick, and others.

The last track on the mix is “Iodine” by Logikparty, a Dublin band who have been billed as openers for Mission of Burma and Gary War. Their noisy breed of post-punk and new-wave is high-energy and hooky, with aggressive vocals by front-grrl Benni Johnston and new-wave-influenced guitar riffs.

Stream all of the tracks below, and learn more about the Irish music scene by reading State Magazine and Nialler 9. Also keep in mind that flights from New York City to Dublin are only $199 until March 31.