"An Taobh Tuathail Volume II"
(Psychonavigation Records)
eight / ten
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CIAN O'CIOBHAIN "An Taobh Tuathail Volume II" (Psychonavigation Records) eight / ten |
The art of assembling a compilation disc is quite similar to that of putting a mixtape together. Lucky so that from an early age radio presenter and club DJ Cian O'Ciobhain enthusiastically started making tapes for friends and himself.
Those early days stacked with shoebox recordings have served him well. Obviously the West Kerry native has a deft touch when it comes to selecting playlists for his Raidio na Gaeltachta radio show 'An Taobh Tuathail'; now he has hammered that point home with his second compendium.
An Taobh Tuathail Volume II is again released on Psychonavigation Records, a bastion of the Irish electronica scene for a number of years, and in a way, a perfect partner for O'Ciobhain's eclectic tastes.
While his radio show veers from new weird America to house over the course of five nights, there is a more delicate touch to this record; something that O'Ciobhain has described as autumnal. No harsh club beats will be found here. Instead we get the likes of the gently lilting folk of Colleen's 'Sun Against My Eyes', Mice Parade's gorgeous 'Double Dolphins On The Nickel', and one of the finest Irish artists and arrangers of recent years - Somadrone, with 'Our Ears Were Like Canyons'.
As with his show, this album is best enjoyed with a nice pair of headphones, and is a true joy to listen to from start to finish; it clearly was sequenced with love and care. Like the radio show's translation, this is truly music from "the other side", tracks that would almost certainly not feature in any other compilations. With more than half the tracks coming from Irish artists, hopefully people will seek out the individual acts postlistening. Afterall, isn't that the idea of a good mixtape?
Ciaran Ryan
www.myspace.com/antaobhtuathail
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