Music
07 Jun 23

Bricknasty announce tour dates to celebrate new EP

Bricknasty by Weepy Woopy.

Bricknasty's Ina Crueler EP arrives with standout track ‘guilt2001’, featuring guest vocals from fellow Irish artists Tomike and Chi-Chi.

Dublin outfit Bricknasty have announced Irish and UK headline tour dates to celebrate the release of their debut EP INA CRUELER today.

Out now via FAMM, the powerful project arrives with the new highlight track ‘guilt2001’, which sees the genre-blending band team up with Negro Impact's Chi-Chi and Tomike - both talents of the Irish music scene.

The band teased the project late last year with title track ‘ina crueler’, a raw statement of their abilities which saw them ink a deal with FAMM, joining labelmates Jorja Smith, Enny and Maverick Sabre.

The subsequent release of singles ‘fashion’ featuring rising Dublin alt-rapper KhakiKid and ‘ducks ina row’ had Bricknasty quickly cement their place as a new force rising from the heart of the burgeoning Irish scene. The band’s recent showcases at The Great Escape were followed up by a sold-out London headline show at Ninety One Living Room and recent appearance at Primavera Pro, and now the band confirm details of a new headline tour through the UK and Ireland this November, on sale this Friday.

"I take the time to realign and I realise that I've hit rewind," Chi-Chi croons before Tomike enters with: "Time to stop running / I don't wanna be alone / Feel the guilt coming / I don't wanna be alone," before brass sections, woozy beats and an audio clip from Bricknasty frontman Fatboy's life in the Ballymun flats fuses together.

Check out the video for jazz-infused, neo-soul/funk single 'guilt2001' below.

Initially evolving from a chance encounter on Soundcloud between frontman/guitarist Fatboy and producer Cillian McCauley, Bricknasty expanded to a fully fledged physical band with the introduction of Dara Abdurahman (bass), Korey Thomas (drums) and Louis Younge (sax/keys). From infectious energy and soulful chords to soft, woozy vocals, together Bricknasty’s music effortlessly traverses RnB, neo soul, jazz and psych citing influences such as D’Angelo, MF Doom, and Timbaland.

The band's live shows have caused a groundswell of word-of-mouth buzz in Dublin and beyond including further performances at Eurosonic, Other Voices, Cork Jazz Festival and a support slot for Cordae. Last night saw them debut the EP at Hen's Teeth with a moving listening party, attended by fans and their closest friends and family.

Frontman/guitarist Fatboy’s experiences growing up in the Dublin suburb of Ballymun are explored in intricate, painstaking detail on Ina Crueler. The district is known for its social problems including unemployment, high crime rates and drug abuse, heavily associated with Dublin’s heroin epidemic in the 80s and 90s. With external prejudices further nourishing this notoriety, its residents were rarely granted the opportunity to present their own perspectives.

“There was loads in the news at the time about Ballymun and the type of people who lived there”, reflects Fatboy, “But anyone what lived in them flats at that time will tell you they were unreal to live in and the sense of community was very strong.”

Across the EP’s singles and interludes, field recordings from Ballymun, melds real life interviews with inhabitants and other raw textures aimed at rewriting the area’s history and immortalising its people. The band’s monochromatic visuals pay particular homage to Dublin photographer Ross McDonnell and his earnest captures of Ballymun phenomenal photobook JOYRIDER.

“There’s pictures of the place I’m from, there’s interviews with the people who actually did raise me," Fatboy muses. "I wanted to take you by the hand and take you to the actual physical place…let you hear from the horse's mouth rather than talking and talking at ya.”

Following in the footsteps of Urban Intelligence and their label Workin’ Class Records - and paired with a tight knit group of musical peers including Tebi Rex, Khakikid, Tomike, Ahmed With Love and DeCarteret - Bricknasty are at the forefront of a new wave of Irish innovators, centring modern Irish stories with pride and vulnerability.

Stay tuned for an interview with the band in the new issue of Hot Press, out this week.