Why subscribe to Bandcloud?

You’ll get weekly updates featuring new and interesting music found on Bandcamp and SoundCloud (and occasionally Mixcloud). This includes albums, EPS, singles, one-offs as well as mixes and radio shows.

Generally focusing on the electronic music scene, the focal points are what can loosely be termed house, techno, ambient and drone. This can spiral off into regional variations of different kinds of club music, field recordings, the occasional folk number and interesting pop from up and comers.

Commentary can range from in-depth insight to pithy responses, with unknowns as worthy of praise and elaboration as veterans.

About me

The first time I wrote about music was when I was 15 and I created fake, unpublished Euphoria fansites. While studying at Trinity College Dublin I wrote for the University Record, reviewing gigs and festivals. I was a contributor for Analogue magazine, interviewing artists like Bonde do Rolê, Ratatat, Busy P, A-Trak and The Juan MacLean.

After starting my journalism career proper at an Irish daily newspaper in the late 2000s, I joined the team at Truants and I have been a contributor to that site for more than a decade, offering reviews and recommendations, guest mixes and interviews with artists from Ikonika, Paul Woolford, Bruce, Anastasia Kristensen, Turtle Bugg, Helm, Will Long, Space Dimension Controller, DEBONAIR, Objekt and, most recently, Carmen Villain and claire rousay.

Bandcloud was born in early 2014 when I tweeted a link to an album on Bandcamp and a friend suggested I put together a newsletter of links from Bandcamp and SoundCloud. I couldn’t think of a better name, so I went with Bandcloud. It’s kind of silly but it gets to the heart of what I do.

In 2016 I was given a slot on Dublin Digital Radio, an online radio station that promotes and celebrates independent music, with complete freedom given to its presenters in terms of what they play. It was voted best Online Station in Europe in the Mixcloud Online Radio Awards 2018.

To celebrate five years of Bandcloud, in 2019 I gathered a group of artists and released a compilation entitled Missives. The proceeds from this release have gone to two charities in Ireland, Merchants Quay Ireland and Ana Liffey Drug Project. These charities work to reduce the harm caused by addiction and homelessness (MQI) and provide addiction support and work to promote policy change in the areas of drug use (ALDP). To date the compilation has raised more than €1,200.

With a few exceptions (including a few months off after the birth of my second child), I’ve sent an email almost every week since January 2014. As I write I’m approaching my 350th edition. Along the way I’ve discovered countless new artists, met wonderful people and made friends for life. Community is a word that can meet a lot of things, but in all honesty it’s been a huge pleasure meeting such a diverse group of people worldwide through this project.

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Subscribe to Bandcloud

Defunct weekly roundup of releases on Bandcamp and Soundcloud selected and delivered by Aidan. Mostly house/techno/ambient/drone.

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posh trance meme dad