Cork's Rising Music Stars

Based on our cover interview with Gavin Dunne, we decided to take a look at the ones to watch on the Cork music scene. Philip Hayden and Zoe Fitzpatrick give us the lowdown on their top three Cork acts.[hr gap="1"]THE ALTERED HOURS:Combining sixties psychedelic rock with driving post-punk rhythms and old-school shoegaze, The Altered Hours are making some of the best music in Ireland right now. How lucky we are that they call Cork home. They’ve already toured Ireland, the UK and Europe, playing with such legendary psychedelic acts as The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Combining the dreamy vocals of Jefferson Airplane and the nauseating soundscapes of My Bloody Valentine with the sheer aggression of The Pixies, The Altered Hours are without a doubt one of the Irish acts to keep an eye on right now. Their debut album is out next January on Penske Recordings and Art For Blind.[hr gap="1"]ELASTIC SLEEP:It’s been a busy summer for Cork-based dream pop band Elastic Sleep, having played numerous festivals across Ireland. Their debut EP showed off their own particular interpretation of pop, channelling feelings of melancholy and frustration through their fragile melodies, raw guitar hooks and hypnotic rhythms all drenched in a thick layer of feedback. Make sure you check out their debut EP on Bandcamp, as well as their latest single Slip. A must hear for fans of Goldfrapp, Joy Division and Nirvana.[hr gap="1"]THE ALKOVE:The AlKove is a Cork band formed in 2014, playing their own original old school rock’n’roll. Their lineup consists of Eddie Kelly on vocals, Alan and Andrew Kiely on guitars, Matt Twomey on bass and Seán Devine playing drums. The AlKove regularly play gigs in venues across Ireland, including the “96/1” Festival in Cork City’s Sober Lane, when 96 bands took over venues all over the city for one night. The AlKove have their debut EP “Now or Never” available on iTunes, and they are currently recording their first music video for “Catch Me on The Other Side”. They will be heading into the studio next month to record their next EP.