Composer Anna Murray reflects on New Music Dublin, a major new festival of contemporary music held at the National Concert Hall, Dublin on 1–3 March 2013.

Composer Daniel Figgis' new work 'dimmerswitch' is the result of a commission by The Crash Ensemble. He explains the ideas behind the work to Anna Murray ahead of its premiere at the Galway Arts Festival on 19 July.

Anna Murray talks to the director of new student-run contemporary music ensemble Kirkos after Blackout, their final performance of the season.

Laura Sheeran's densely textured songs are never planned and most are written and recorded in just one day. Anna Murray talks to the musician about her intuitive writing process, and the making of her latest, most aggressive album.

The Dublin band 3epkano are best known for playing live music to early silent films.

This year's Hard Working Class Heroes festival inadvertently made a clear division between better- and lesser-known acts. The result was that some of the most interesting bands struggled to draw an audience, writes Anna Murray.

The Dublin Laptop Orchestra crouched, bent, stretched, circled and swooped, making each piece as much a work of performance art as music.

The barriers between electronica and rock are being dismantled in Irish music, writes Anna Murray. Patrick Kelleher's new album is part of this, and yet at odds with its contemporaries.

Castle Palooza Festival, Charleville Castle, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, 1–2 August 2009

Slow DynamoVF Records (VF1)With Slow Dynamo, Valerie Francis is introducing herself to the pantheon of Irish female singer-songwriters with a firm handshake and steady eye, armed with a brand of alt-folk which seems as informed as much by t