Groove Tube with Cian O’Connell

Last year, Dublin group Bricknasty released INA CRUELER – a groundbreaking, experimental and deeply personal seven-track EP that chronicled frontman Fatboy’s upbringing in Ballymun. It is difficult to categorise the band. Jazz-informed, their music incorporates hip-hop, R&B, neo soul and 90s garage. Distinct voice notes, often captured in very intimate moments, are scattered through INA CRUELER, revealing its world very frankly against a meticulous, exploratory instrumental backdrop.

This week Bricknasty play Monroe’s alongside South African born, Irish rapper Sweetlemondae, tonight (Thursday), as part of Jameson Connects.

The last time they played in Galway was November 23 – the night of the Dublin riots. In the aftermath, Fatboy posted a tribute to the late Irish filmmaker Ross McDonnell, saying he’d have been out there and “he’d have pulled a beautiful composition out from underneath it.”

“He was someone I looked up to in terms of art,” Fatboy says.

“He was an Emmy award winner – I didn’t know that when I was friends with him. I found that out after he died. We used to talk art often enough… What art we thought was important; what art we thought was unimportant. We just seen eye to eye in a lot of ways.

“The path forward as far as what constituted substance in art was obvious to him and obvious to me as well, even if we don’t always manage to action it in a way that’s visible to audiences. We at least agreed on the criteria.”

Fatboy has an appreciation for a wide variety of artistic forms. He describes Francis Bacon as an inspiration, and many of the people he admires are connected by their approach to their lives.

“I love fighters as well, and coaches,” he says. “I love people who I think are exceptional. Whether they’re exceptionally gifted or even just exceptionally odd. Exceptionally standoffish or exceptionally grating – exceptionally whatever. I love people who take it upon themselves to be themselves. Or be the most exaggerated version of themselves they possibly can.”

Pictured: Bricknasty….part of Jameson Connects at Monroe’s Live.