Halves (band)

Halves

Halves performing at the Oxegen Festival
Background information
Origin Dublin, Ireland
Genres Ambient, electronic rock, alternative rock
Years active 2006–Present
Labels Hate is the Enemy
Website ahomeforhalves.com
Members Brian Cash
Tim Czerniak
Elis Czerniak
Past members David Scanlon
Notable instruments
Electric guitars, dulcimer, Drums, Piano, Strings (music), vocoder, Laptop, Accordion, Clarinet, Flugelhorn, Trombone & Synthesizer

Halves are an ambient/alternative/electronic band based in Dublin, Ireland. They are composed of Brian Cash and brothers Tim and Elis Czerniak, with additional live members.

Formation

Halves were formed when Dave (Scanlon - original member), Brian and Tim sat down together and listed bands & composers they admired. They decided on the band's image, including their website & artwork and the visuals of their live shows and had “a very clear manifesto about the kind of sound we wanted and the kind of thing we wanted to do, which not many bands in this country Ireland were doing”. Elis joined soon after and work began on their debut release.[1]

Recordings

The band have released two EPs; the self-titled Halves[2] and 2008's seven-track Haunt Me When I'm Drowsy.[3] These were followed by a single - Blood Branches in March 2009 on a split 7" with fellow Dublin band Subplots.

In 2010 their debut album 'It Goes, It Goes (Forever & Ever)' was released to critical acclaim. The album was released in the UK and mainland Europe on 4 July 2011. Recorded in the legendary Hotel2Tango studios in Montreal (housed in a former alarm factory beside a freight railroad) and tracked over two sunny weeks in August 2009, the record was created with the use of the studio’s vast collection of antique instruments, amps, organs, effects (most of which date from the 1930s). Eleven songs were recorded live, in one large room on 2″ reel-to-reel tape by Efrim Menuck (Godspeed You! Black Emperor), Howard Bilerman, and Radwan Moumneh. Guest performers on the record include: Amy Millan (Stars/Broken Social Scene), Katie Kim, Phil Boughton (Subplots), Canadian harpist Elaine Kelly-Canning (Carnival Moon), Irish Chamber brass and string players and twenty-seven members of the Kilkenny Ladie's choir.'It Goes, It Goes (Forever & Ever)' was shortlisted for the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year 2010.

The band released their second studio album Boa Howl in July 2013 to critical acclaim. [4]

Live

Halves have played Oxegen 2008[5] and Electric Picnic 2008[6] as well as Hard Working Class Heroes,[7] IMRO Showcase Tour[8] and the London Calling showcase in London, England. In 2009 Halves made their debut TV performance, topping the viewers choice poll on RTÉ's 'Other Voices' series. They have supported British Sea Power, 65daysofstatic, Low, Amiina, This Will Destroy You, The Middle East & Mercury Rev.[9] Their 2008 appearance at Eurosonic Festival in Holland was their first outside Ireland and they have since travelled twice to Toronto to play at Canadian Music Week and Texas for SXSW. Other festival outings include Kilkenny Arts Festival Kilkenny in 2010 and The Great Escape Brighton, England in 2011[10]

The band are known for switching between a wide range of instruments while performing - including Electric Guitars, dulcimer, Drum Kit, Piano, vocoder, Synth, laptop, Accordion, Clarinet, Flugelhorn, Trombone and various effects. Stunning pre-programmed and live visuals can be seen at their live shows performed by the group Slipdraft, whose members are Sam Boles, Daniel Staines and Cormac Murray. The band's live sound engineer is Ciaran Mangan who also recorded their live album.

In April 2012 the band released a live album ('Live at the Unitarian Church') to celebrate Record Store Day 2012.[11]

Discography

Studio Albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
IRL
[12]		 UK
2010 It Goes, It Goes (Forever & Ever) 42 —
2013 Boa Howl 79 —
"—" denotes a title that did not chart.

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
IRL UK
2009 "Blood Branches" — — Blood Branches EP
2011 "I Raise Bears" — — It Goes, It Goes (Forever & Ever)
"Growing & Glow" — —
"Darling You'll Meet Your Maker" — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Extended Plays

Year Title
2007 Halves EP
2008 Haunt Me When I'm Drowsy EP
2009 Blood Branches Split 7"
2012 Live at the Unitarian Church Live Album - Clear 12" Vinyl released to celebrate Record Store Day 2012

Awards

Choice Music Prize

It Goes, It Goes (Forever & Ever) was nominated for the Choice Music Prize in 2011 and the band performed two songs live at the awards in Dublin's Vicar Street.[13]

Year Recipient/Nominated work Award Result
2011 It Goes, It Goes (Forever & Ever)] Irish Album of the Year 2010 Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "Doing Things By Halves". Hot Press. 2008-06-18. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
  2. ↑ HALVES - Haunt Me When I'm Drowsy
  3. ↑ "Haunt Me When I'm Drowsy". Hot Press. 2008-05-19. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
  4. ↑ "Halves news May 2013".
  5. ↑ Oxegen 2008 lineup
  6. ↑ Image of Electric Picnic 2008 timetable,
  7. ↑ "Hard Working Class Heroes announce line up". RTÉ. 2008-08-10. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
  8. ↑ "IMRO announce showcase acts". Hot Press. 2008-03-21. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  9. ↑ "Halves line up Dublin show". Hot Press. 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
  10. ↑ Eurosonic @ 2fm
  11. ↑ Hotpress. "Halves to release live album". Hotpress Magazine. Hotpress. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  12. ↑ ">> IRMA << Irish Charts - Singles, Albums & Compilations >>". Irma.ie. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  13. ↑ Anna Forbes (3 March 2011). "Choice Music Prize Preview". State. Retrieved 3 March 2011.

External links

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