GABRIELLE APLIN
ALBUM RELEASES ★★
A breakdown followed by a period of therapy provided the backdrop to this third album from the Wiltshire lass. Aplin, who had her biggest success with the chart-topping cover of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Power of Love, isn’t one to belabour personal issues and, if anything, the confected amalgams of synthesized pop and confessionals she serves up here suffer from being too lightweight. Dear Happy passes by largely unnoticed with its vapid, colourless songs.
In 1977, artful intellects Wire were the dark horses of punk, but the three stunning and subversive albums that launched their career exerted an influence well beyond their modest commercial success.
Bryan Ferry, David Bowie and future stars Johnny Marr and Michael Stipe were among their fans.
Since regrouping at the start of this century, Wire have maintained their class, consistency and prolific output.
Mind Hive, their dark and exhilarating 17th album, is a career best, a tribute to the band’s perception and persistence.
“In the beginning, we put into practice a working regime which was about making change possible,” explains bassist, lyricist and vocalist Graham Lewis.
“It was a group of people working together rather than an individual as the main creative force
Tonight at The Button Factory the crew from Pyramid Nights bring you the man behind the Billboard smash for 2019 “Pump It Up” as Endor makes his Irish debut.
Initially the redo of 2004’s commercial hit by Danzel came under criticism for being too commercial a move by Defected, especially as it’s quite similar to the 15-year-old original. Mind you, I’ve played it among my usual set with others making lesser contributions. This was our strength – and we could write in different combinations.
“With all good strengths comes weakness – we’ve got a lot of material being produced, a lot of competition for what’s to be pursued. But that’s a nice problem to have,” he grins.
For many years Lewis has lived with his wife in Uppsala, Sweden.
“I think it’s the only country that actually tried to put some social democracy into practice,” he says. “People pay tax and they get stuff– education, health, and things work.” The words on Mind
sure fire stompers and it always gets a good reaction. And you may not realise but it was written by two of Switzerland’s most respected and underground House producers, Michael Hall (aka Mr Mike) and Djaimin.
Onto the man himself, Endor has risen through the ranks of the scene to become a champion of the underground in the last few years, which is probably how he can pull off such a release as PIU. Brighton native Dan Hardingham started Endor in 2013 while studying Graphic Design. Not wasting any time he has built up a formidable discography with releases on Warner/one More Tune, Island Records, Strangelove, This Ain’t Bristol & Low Steppa’s Simma Black to name a few.
Further to this, he’s penned official remixes for Roger Sanchez, Alma, James Hype, Roger
Hive are wry, cryptic and deadly, and Lewis sends them over to his co-writer, vocalist Colin Newman, as texts.
“I’ve always called them texts rather than lyrics. Just like I prefer to say noise rather than music,” he explains. “I suppose I’ve been ruminating on the same things that everybody else had been ruminating on – what the f***’s going on
‘‘ Punching has never been part of it but raised voices have
That, Grace Carter and Mason.
Dan’s prolific nature of working, as well as an ear for creating killer dancefloor cuts, has earned him high profile fans from Skream (in fact his innovative bootleg of Skream’s ‘In for The Kill’ definitely propelled his explosive entry on to the scene) to Chris Lake, with an impressive catalogue of releases stacking up in his name.
In recent years, Endor secured his own radio show on the highly respected Reprezent Radio, in addition to already curating his own incredibly successful live “Flight Mode” b2b series. Of course, as we mentioned, last year was his cross over year, making his debut on Defected with ‘Pump It Up’, which has made him essentially an underground “pop star”. Ireland’s own Josh Coakley supports along side Luke Beatty and was quite a big question.
“I think we live in a time where everybody seems rather uncertain yet everybody knows everything. I don’t think we’ve been through that before, have we?”
Lewis had no idea Wire would outlast their class of ’77 contemporaries when they formed in Watford art school over 40 years ago. And they’ve managed to remain largely unmarked by the inevitable strains of band life.
“Punching has never been part of the process but raised voices have been,” Lewis admits. “What you hope for is that the best ideas win.
“That’s how it should be done, but on occasion egos can get the better of people. It has been known.”
■■Mind Hive is out January 24
James Lynn who goes back to back with Cian Moynagh.tickets are €15 and doors are at 22.30. 999999999[sic] play at Index tonight. One of the most requested live acts of the techno scene. Their label is a bit more type friendly, called “Nine Times Nine” live they do a lot of improvisation using hardware to create on stage.tickets for this one cost €18 and support from Peter Sweeney aka Rustal. Doors 11pm. www.facebook.com/niallredmond Listen to the podcast of The Digital Groove on RTE Pulse www.pulse.rte.ie/category/presenters/ niallredmond/ The Digital Groove Twitter www.twitter.com/digitalgroove