Spearheaded by Ballymun native, frontman and guitarist Fatboy, Bricknasty is the product of a group raised by the internet and grounded in community spirit. The result of Fatboy and producer Cillian McCauley’s chance encounter on Soundcloud, the pair’s online relationship later expanded to a fully fledged physical band with the introduction of Dara Abdurahman (bass), Korey Thomas (drums) and Louis Younge (sax/keys). Sonically living somewhere in the venn diagram intersection between Untitled Unmastered era Kendrick Lamar, D’Angelo and the iconic punk-folk poetry of Dublin’s Damien Dempsey, the unorthodox sound and uncompromising storytelling of Bricknasty is the product of dedicated musicianship as much as it is the chronically online resourcefulness of the DIY generation.
Owing as much to absurd internet culture as the influence of the Soulquarians, Bricknasty’s music is a captivating reflection of their upbringing in the Ballymun estate, offering a fresh perspective on the complexities of life in a community often overlooked. Their distinctive sound encompasses everything from the off-kilter blends of 2000s RnB, to slurred rap delivery, sticky falsettos and anything else that takes their fancy. Bricknasty is defined by their raw energy and visually striking aesthetic, setting them starkly apart from their peers.
“INA CRUELER” was a fully formed statement of intent (which promptly saw the band sign to FAMM, home to the likes of Jorja Smith and ENNY), exploring addiction and the emotional toll of archiving his upbringing in Ballymun, frontman Fatboy emerged on the other side, exhausted but determined to relinquish old habits. This rebirth is captured in their forthcoming mixtape ‘XONGZ አስቀያሚ ጡብ’. In the period since the debut EP, Fatboy discovered that his mother needed life-saving surgery and Ross McDonnell, a close friend and iconic photographer behind the cover on INA CRUELER, was found dead in New York. Coupled with his mother’s health insurance bouncing and subsequent missed payments to their family home, the singer was faced with the threat of homelessness. “mouthy” features voice recordings from The Bricknasty Sessions, a series of performances in the iconic settings of The Sugar Club that brought together Irish acts like Kojaque, Maverick Sabre, Shiv, and Aby Coulibaly to raise money for Fatboy’s mother, who needed live-saving surgery. It resulted in avoiding homelessness and on the track, the tearful frontman punctuates the infectious melodies by paying tribute to his friends and collaborators.