Daithi
Daithi is an electronic music producer obsessed by the culture of Ireland. The choice award nominee combines nature recordings, old Irish samples and analog synths to create a unique type of house music that’s soaked in Irish culture. A mainstay in the Irish gigging scene, his live show is an improvised performance, creating on the spot dance music using synths, drum machines and live fiddle.
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
My first year in college was a huge formative year for me, and really hammered home what I cared about, and who I really was. This track was listened to at least 5 times a day in my first college house, we worshipped it. I also found out that one of the main vocal samples was from an Irish sean nos record, and in my mind it opened the possibility of using Irish samples in electronic music. I owe this record a lot!
Daft Punk - Face To Face
When I was a teenager I never listened to any dance music, it was all indie and metal stuff at the time. The only electronic act I listened too regularly was Daft Punk. This song in particular stayed with me, and was one of the reasons I got into cutting up vocals in my own production.
Kiasmos - Looped
Probably one of the most recent additions to the list, this song is really important to me at the moment. To me, it’s the sound of getting a little older, being a little more confident in yourself, and a little more thoughtful about what you do. I think throughout your twenties you change a lot as a person, almost more than your teenage years, and your experiences now set you up for the rest of life. Scary stuff! But getting through it is what’s really important, Overcoming obstacles is the thing you really have to learn at this age.
Radiohead - Reckoner
I did my leaving cert in a boarding school which I hated, I was never happy there, music was the only thing that kept me going. Radiohead’s In Rainbows came out during this time, and when I really needed to just sit down and work through some sadness, I always went to this song.
LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
I was part of a close knit music scene in Galway throughout my college years, And I’m eternally grateful for all the amazing people who welcomed me into their lives. Like most people around my age, this song was the one at the end of the house party, the one where everyone came together. Some of my best memories in life have this song in the background.
SBTRKT // Little Dragon - Wildfire
This song means a lot to me, because it reminds me of when I met the first girl I ever really loved. When we started going out this was the song we listened to all of the time, driving around talking. We aren’t together anymore, but this one really reminds me of good times.
Postal Service - Brand New Colony
The Postal Service album was a constant throughout my early twenties, This song plays through my head when I think of one of my best friends Eoin. We spent most of our college years together, and he really influenced who I am today. Good man, Eoin.
YeaSayer - Ambling Alp
When I was 19 I was competing in a talent show on Sky1 called Must Be The Music. I got to the final, and played to a packed out Wembley, in front of hundreds of thousands of people. Beforehand, I had to spend a few days stuck in a dressing room, which really didn’t help the nerves. To calm them down a bit, I would put this song on, plug in my headphones, and basically jump around the room trying to just work out the jitters and the butterflies.
Foals - Two Steps Twice
In my music career, one of the pivotal changes was when I stopped playing bass guitar and started playing the fiddle again. I hadn’t played it since I was 13, and the reason I picked it up again was because I wanted my music to sound like this song. The closest thing I could get to this sound was the clear tones of a plucked fiddle, looped on top of each other. And the rest, as they say, is history (who says that anyway?). If you listen to my first EP, you can really hear the similarities.
Caribou - Can’t Do Without You
If I had to pick one artist who has influenced my music the most, it would be Caribou. His music really inspires me to think outside the box, and also really makes me think about sounds and production, instead of just the actual music. The last 3 or 4 years of my life have probably been the ones that I’ve been the most happy, and this song in particular really soundtracked that. Caribou is also my all time favourite live act, and this song just tears people apart. So many tears in the crowd! it’s incredible.
