Subplots

"Ready to seduce the Irish listening public … exquisite" (Hotpress, 08/08)

"They're definitely one of the best acts to emerge from the capital in years." (RTE Guide, 8/08)

"Much feted on the local music scene." (State, 8/08)

"One of the best unsigned bands in the country" (Cluas.com, 8/08)

"...think along the lines of Arcade Fire, Efterklang and prepare to be immersed in a wall of rich sounds" (Drop-d.ie, 8/08)
- Various

Scanned copy of interview availible below.

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- Hotpress - Laruen Murphy

"The most welcome of bolts from the blue...the most gloriously delightful opener to come from an Irish group this year. A feast of pleasures, State and Nature shifts from the seductively visceral to deep and responsive melancholia...An absolute gem of a debut". - Hotpress - Steve Cummins

"Tonight they follow their mighty performance at this year's Hard Working Class Heroes Festival with a brilliantly sharp and contained set that showcases how much wider their scope actually is. Singer and guitarist Phil Boughton approaches all this fuzzy guitar madness with a voice so sweet and tender, it often seems to get punched black and blue around the room - yet it always remains standing, romantic and dfiant to the end. Poltis is a heart-wrenching example of his vocal freedom: the chiming guitar and bass barely hold the string to Boughton's soaring voice as it finds its way into myriad dark places... Their newer material, such as their fashionably Untitled closer, shows that [Subplots] are not an archetypal 'two-hit-wonder' singles band but one with sufficient guts, gravitas and innovation to easily produce a masterful album. The sooner the better, too" - In Dublin - Johnnie Craig

"Step up, then, [Subplots]. Galvanisers of senses, the trio amble-onstage and sweep into the desolate post-rock that they magnificently proffer. Radiohead, Elbow, Low and even Sigur Rós are the lazy routes to defining [Subplots] sound- yet while elements of all these are palpable, there's something quite exciting and possibly groundbreaking lurking somewhere within" - NME Ireland

" ‘Politis’ is a wave of tumbling noise, the chords are set to jangle as Boughton’s voice weaves and bobs to articulate the sincere emotions. This is off-kilter, an oddball gem that should be sending the shudders down plenty of spines over the next while." - MP3 Hugger (blog)

SUBPLOTS

Nightcycles Cableattack!! ****

Sometimes you can tell when a band is rich in experience simply by the way they play their instruments. Subplots aren’t exactly veterans of the Irish music scene, but they have been active under various guises for the past few years. As a result of that shapeshifting, their sound has been fine-tuned to precision, and it shows on their long-awaited debut. The term “post-rock” often elicits notions of sombre dreariness, but the trio twist these intricate songs into works of beauty and uplifting sadness with their offbeat structures and ornate melodies. Phil Boughton’s fragile falsetto exquisitely swoops beneath the gorgeous repetition of Politis and the pensive orchestral sway of Violent Sea . Elsewhere, there are star-like bursts of energy and instrumentation to add timely spells of drama. Listen attentively, and prepare to be completely ensnared in the narrative. - The Irish Times - Lauren Murphy

"the prime contender for best Irish album of 2009 is Subplots' Nightcycles. Measured, atmospheric, really accomplished and considering that I've long thought them to be one of the best bands in the country as good as I thought it could be." - Thrill Pier - Thrill Pier - thrillpier.blogspot.com

Subplots have somehow managed to exceed all expectations with their debut album. Following last year’s acclaimed We Carved Our Names in Glasses EP, Nightcycles sounds melodic, dark, ambitious, anguished, delicate and, above all, great.

‘Anchors & Kites’ makes a seamless transition from jazzy drums to the arpeggioed angst-ridden declaration “You’re right, this is not worth the trouble”. ‘Leech’ is both depressive and beautiful in a way that echoes Radiohead’s ‘Knives out’. As with ‘Remainders’, though, it offers a bright last moment with the intervention of poignant guitars.

Throughout, Phil Boughton’s voice - pitched somewhere between Thom Yorke’s fragility and Chris Martin’s falsetto - leads the listener by the hand. You’ll find cello passages in ‘16:9’, dreamy guitars, touching tunes, brilliant glockenspiels, skilful pianos and, finally, with ‘Violent Sea’, gorgeous violins to bring proceedings to a precious close. 8/10 - AU Magazine - Virginia Arroyo