Halves continue stellar year of albums for Irish bands

IT’S already been a stellar year for albums from Irish bands.

While Girls Names have been carving out a name for themselves through constant touring in the UK and Europe on the back of February’s The New Life, I am the Cosmos and Solar Bears crafted two of the finest dance albums around in Monochrome and Supermigration, respectively. Villagers have been reaching higher plains with Awayland and O Emperor are revelling in the new lease of life that Vitreous has given them.

If next year’s Choice Prize judges were already facing a tough task in narrowing down the field for Irish album of 2013, recent weeks won’t have done them many favours.