Shookrah are a band who's profile has been steadily gaining attention over the last few years - and rightly so.

In an R&B that is ever-expanding, Shookrah stand out as a tight-knit collective of strong writers and even stronger performers. Unsurprising, considering they've been on the go for some time.

Shookrah, as we know it now, was born out of singer Senita Appiakorang's kitchen, from a moment of frustration.

"We were absolutely sick of our old name ‘Moustache Latte’ and felt it misrepresented us as some sort of an ironic goof patrol and needed a better name fast," Emmet says. "Over a few different meetings we must have spent a good 5 hours mulling over names and nearly knifing each other.

"I think I suggested ‘Shookrah’ because I saw some sugar on the table. But the 50 board members on our management team in LA thought ‘Siúcra’ was too ‘ethnic’ and we had to ‘Americanify’ it. I like it though, I think the word looks cool."

As they play Body & Soul this weekend, how is the hype surrounding them affecting their mindset?

"I think we are feeling the pressure a bit yeah, but a nice healthy dose," Emmet O' Riabhaigh says. "It certainly beats the hell out of feeling like the band is slowing down or struggling to reach its potential.

"We’re all a lot busier now, trying to balance the band and work/regular life, but we’re managing so far and it’s exciting knowing that we’re on some sort of trajectory and have to keep the pace up in terms of gigging and writing new tunes. I think last summer we felt a bit frustrated because we were recording and not gigging.

"Even though recording and mixing the EP was immense fun, we felt like we were risking disappearing out of the public eye a bit, but this summer we’ve buttloads of gigs (a buttload is actually a unit of measurement), not least Body & Soul, and we’re loving it."

"Writing happens very quickly for me, like as soon as I'm concentrating and in it, I’m zoning," singer Senita Appiakorang admits. "Then again, I can't attest to being a great lyricist although I give it some heartfelt thought. To anyone else, it could translate as word vomit ... Which maybe it is.

"Performing, I'm used to, but I don't always love to be honest...getting into the zone is harder, I’m probably more in myself but somehow people can say that's my strong attribute. It’s a bit of a fine line."

Shookrah produce music that is surprisingly mature, given their own. Their most recent EP, 'Clichés', manages to deal with strong themes, like ageing and family, in a manner that isn't throwaway or careless. And yet, this deeply set flow remains.

Undisputedly, however, the title is loaded, and gives way to pre-conceptions. What was their thinking behind it? And now that it's out in the open, how do they feel about 'Clichés' now?

"'Clichés', for me was a tongue-in-cheek look at the trivial shit that consumes us, as well the real and fragile experiences alongside it; love, depression, aspiration, disillusionment ... Figuring this life out," Singer Senita Appiakorang admits.

"On surface level, we're just being young idiots who figure we know it all or pretend and internally we know we're freaking out at anyone's expectation of us - meanwhile wondering when our lives became a snapshot of Friends … that is the humour of the existentialist cliché.

"The music, as far as I'm concerned encapsulates the delicacy of all of this as well as the whompy goodness in it too. It’s sinister as it is alluring, who doesn't like getting caught up in that kind of mess?"

Lead track Gerascophobia is the stand out example, looking at how people move on from things and what happens when they do. Senita admits it's something which heavily influences Shookrah's writing.

"I've had some pretty far out life changes even at this tender age, so maybe that has made me hyper aware of myself - I tend to self evaluate a lot and assess how time and experience affects me a lot," she admits.

"Whether I'm asserting my femininity and philosophies within that, or recognising friendships that are precious but also tender given how quickly we can all move away and lose touch ... Movement and stillness and what happens in between.

"That constantly invites moments of observation and we took a year out to do and sit with that. I'd like to imagine we were allowing ourselves to grow up, sonically and otherwise- so it's only natural that that would consume much of the subject matters.

They may be performers first, but Shookrah are also fans, listing Sleaford Mods, Fixity and Ten Past Seven as their 'must-see' acts at Body & Soul.

"I know for a fact they are the most mind-blowing bands in Ireland," Emmet said. "They will shit you up. If you read this and don’t see these bands you’re dead after school."

As a Cork act, they're keen to rep the city as a a vibrant space for modern musicians - something which has seen promoters sit up and take notice, as seen in the likes of the second installment of Sounds From A Safe Harbour taking place later this year.

Shookrah were involved in this year's Right Here Right festival, which hosted several well known acts like Jack O’Rourke, The Shaker Hymn, Mick Flannery in the Opera House. The band called it a "wonderful opportunity to showcase the local flavour in one of the best environments to do so in the country". 

As far as Cork artists go? They have their favourites.

"I will shamelessly say Lakerama are making cool sounds in the Grime&House department and we're releasing a music video in the next month as well as well as working on some collaborative projects with some names in the Word Up Collective," Senita says. "I'm also really digging The Great Balloon Race, who aren't R&B but last album absolutely rocks. They're amazing musicians."

As previously mentioned, R&B and hip-hop continue to be the driving genre behind many progressive artists in Ireland. It's a label that fits them - albeit not in totality, but it covers some bases.

"I’m increasingly blown away by this rapidly expanding hip-hop/R&B scene," Emmet says. "I don’t remember any other kind of music just kind of exploding so rapidly around the country. So many good new artists at the moment it’s insane.

"Rejje Snow getting international acclaim, our buds Rusangano Family absolutely shredding the scene and blowing people's scalps directly off consistently with their unparalleled live show. There’s so many great Dublin bands as well that you could bring under the R&B umbrella: BARQ, Loah, Zaska, Feddah, Super Silly, Soulé, Jafaris and all these groups working with those Diffusion Lab geniuses."

However, while the band are happy to wear the bade, they don't neccessarily feel any pressure to conform to the genre.

"Everyone is doing their own thing but still going to other people’s gigs and supporting as fans. It’s healthy right now and I hope it stays that way," he concludes.

"The only pressure here for me is keeping it hot content all the way, cause what Ireland has to show for itself is that the urban music scene here is playing for keeps!" Senita says. "It’s dynamic and full of substance and can play with the big dogs in the US/UK."

All this movement and positive chatter about Shookrah - where's the album then?

"We’ve block-booked Electric Lady studio for 4 years, so expect something in 7 years," Emmet jokes.

"But seriously, it’s at the top of our priority list. We’ve been writing away fairly consistently and we’re really happy with the new stuff so far. We’re going to keep at it and hopefully start recording in the autumn.

"An album is definitely what we’re aiming for, and it would be the breasts if we could get that cut on vinyl and thrown around place like some sort of a ‘distribution’ if you will.

"The new stuff is going to hopefully leave people in a puddle of any number of fluids."