Jamie from Irish duo The Ambience Affair joins us to talk about a very succesful 2009. Plenty of radio play, two very well received EP's, and a rather nifty sideline in beautifully crafted videos has seen their brand of musically dexterous, intense, loop driven songs break through. And did we mention CSI: NY? Not bad for a debut year.

Bill Callahan - "Diamond Dancer"
Best Coast - "When I'm With You"
Sleigh Bells - "Ring Ring"
O Emperor - "Devil Don't Dance"
The Ambience Affair - "Vacant Hearts", "A Girl Who My Eyes Shine For"
Caribou - "Jamelia"
Blur - "Fools Day"
Penguin Prison - "Something I'm Not"
Delorean - "Stay Close"
Nina Nastasia - "Cry Cry Baby"

Laura Marling - "Hope In The Air" (Virgin Records)
Cults - "Go Outside" (Independent release)
Broken Social Scene - "All To All" (Arts & Crafts)
Stars - "Fixed" (Soft Revolution)
Cathy Davey - "Little Red" (Hammer Toe Records)
Wild Birds & Peacedrums - "Fight For Me" (Leaf Label)
Peter Wolf Crier - "Crutch and Crane" (Jagjaguwar)
Throw Me The Statue - "Hi Fi Goon" (Secretly Canadian)
Django Django - "Skies Over Cairo" (Independent release)
Van Morrison - "Into The Mystic" (Warner Bros)
Stevie Wonder - "Superstition {Live on Sesame Street}" (Tamla Records)

Teenage Fanclub - "Baby Lee" (Merge)
Lykke Li - "Little Bit" (LL Recordings)
Harlem - "Friendly Ghost" (Matador)
Peggy Sue - "Lazarus" (Wichita)
The Redneck Manifesto - "Little Nose" (Richter Collective)
Television - "Venus" (Elektra)
Elliot Smith - "Last Call" (Kill Rock Stars)
She and Him - "Thieves" (Merge)
Joanna Newsom - "81" (Drag City)
jj - "Let Go" (Secretly Canadian / Sincerely Yours)
Steve Mason - "All Come Down" (Domino)

Photo by Dave Keegan

Dublin songstress Jennifer Evans has just released her debut EP Salient Point and is currently embarking on her first major nationwide tour. Her sound has touches of Joanna Newsom in vocal stylings - albeit it with a "kookie" folk approach. She kindly dropped into studio for a chat and a tune.

Roxy Music - "Out Of The Blue" (Island / Polydor)
Jamaica - "I Think I Like U 2" (Unsigned)
Ash - "War With Me" (Atomic Heart Records)
Titus Andronicus - "A More Perfect Union" (XL)
The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" (4AD)
Jennifer Evans - "After Berlin" {In-studio acoustic)
UNKLE - "Nursery Rhyme Breather" (Mo'Wax)
Archie Bronson Outfit - "Sharks Tooth" (Domino)
Bonnie Prince Billy - "I Am Goodbye" (Drag City / Domino)

Irish songsmith James Mcmorrow - he of Bon Iver comparsions (although we think he's a bit more Jeff Buckley in there) joined us in studio to talk about his well received debut album, supporting the The Antlers, those aforementioned comparisons and the thorny topic of "indie cred".

Javeline - "Oh Centra" (Thrill Jockey)
Two Door Cinema Club - "Undercover Martyn" {Passion Pit Remix} (Kitsune)
Pure Ecstacy - "Voices" (Acéphale)
The Mountain Goats "Alpha Omega" (4AD)
James McMorrow - "Hear The Noise That Moves So Soft And Low" {Acoustic Version} (EMI Music Publishing)
Villagers - "Becoming A Jackal" (Domino)
Vyvienne Long - "Bad Move" (Happyhazard)
Ben Kweller - "Walk On Me" (ATO Records)
The Decemberists - "O Valencia!" (Capitol)
Bats - "BATS spelled backwards is STAB" (Richter Collective)
Phantogram - "When I'm Small" (BBE)
Damien Jurado - "Arkansas" (Secretly Canadian)

ROXY MUSIC
LEFTFIELD
MASSIVE ATTACK
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
THE FRAMES
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD
THE NATIONAL
MUMFORD &SONS
SEASICK STEVE
MODEST MOUSE
HOT CHIP
GIL SCOTT HERON
FEVER RAY
JONSI (SIGUR ROS)
FAT FREDDYS DROP
BAD LIEUTENANT
CRYSTAL CASTLES
AFRO CELT SOUNDSYSTEM
BOOKASHADE
BLOODY BEETROOTS DEATH CREW77
STEVE EARLE
BEACH HOUSE
THE BIG PINK
LOW ANTHEM
REDNECK MANIFESTO
THE HORRORS
MONOTONIX
LIQUID LIQUID
HERE WE GO MAGIC
FIELD MUSIC
CYMANDE
MESSIAH J & THE EXPERT
DUBLIN GOSPEL CHOIR
CARIBOU
ADRIAN CROWLEY
VILLAGERS
NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
BEAKESTRA & CHALIE 2 NA
MR SCRUFF
MEMORY TAPES

Not a bad fist announcement by half. Particularly looking forward to seeing The National (oh let it be even half as good as their Nov 2007 show at Dublin's Olympia and I'll be happy) Caribou, Massive Attack and The Redneck Manifesto.

Limerick's rap / comedy / hip hop hybrid Rubber Bandits will also be on the line-up we understand.

Tickets on sale this Friday 26th March at 9am for €240 (again). The early bird €199 price is sold-out. And be sure to go here for all the latest EP news: http://forum.electricpicnic.ie/

Barry