GoldenPlec are delighted to present the video premiere of Donegal trio SlowPlaceLikeHome’s Cesare's Principle. The track already has celebrity fans such as London Grammar talking about it in the UK. We caught up SlowPlaceLikeHome’s leader Keith Mannion to find out about the band, and how Cesare's Principle has taken on an unexpected life of its own.

Tell us a bit about SlowPlaceLikeHome?

"SlowPlaceLikeHome is ultimately a music project started by and remains my own vessel. I write, play, record, and produce everything you hear. All from a little studio in the forest of the Knather Woods (a few miles outside a town called Ballyshannon) in south-west County Donegal.

I have recently formed a new live outfit. I have released a few EPs over the past number of years, to some humbling praise and am about to drop a full album re-recorded after a very soft release in 2014."

At the time it received some critical acclaim from The Irish Times (4 stars) and 2FMs Dan Hegarty including it in his Top 10 albums of the year. In fact, it appeared in quite a few 'end of year' lists in 2014. Then it disappeared, as I gave it some breathing space and re-recorded it for a separate release. It will drop on Oct 27th" here.

Tell us about single Cesare's Principle and the accompanying video.

"Since releasing the track Cesare's Principle a few weeks back, it began spreading around radio stations and garnered some unexpected fans in the likes of London Grammar. The video is an extension of the low-fi track. Neatly executed by Sligo native, Cian Flynn, it has an isolated feel to it. 1920’s vehicles racing alongside the locomotive train in question, as a haze of fireflies cloud the scenes."

Will you be having a launch gig for the album?

"There is no launch gig, per say. Instead, the band will play 'Interlude' festival at the RHA Dublin, along with RSAG, on the Saturday 24th. October. The only other live appearance as yet, is a BBC session on Oct 19th, on the 'Across The Line' show.

The band may do a few more dates, but will be spending the rest of the year bunking in the practice rooms in Rossnowlagh, to polish off a new live set, with brand new material. Some of this material in question will be the upcoming vinyl 7" release in late spring 2016. A double A-Side, with two very exciting (and different) tracks to push. There will be a tour and extensive live dates throughout the year. So I expect a very busy and fun year."

It sounds like you live in a remote place. Does your environment inspire your writing?

"I don't think the SPLH thing would work if it was created in a city environment. It exists because it is all about the countryside and in particular, the North-West coastline. Mayo, Sligo and particularly the county of Donegal has such a phenomenal influence on people who visit, I almost didn't appreciate it growing up, surrounded by its spellbinding nature.

You can travel all the way from Ballycastle in Mayo, along the coast, to Sliabh Liag and still view where you are traveling to on your trip. It's breathtaking to be honest. But mostly a place called Knather Woods (a few miles outside Ballyshannon town), is where this music all began and tangled in some of the compositions are field recordings from the locality."

Electronic music can be industrial enough, without adding more of that influence to it. Besides, Einstürzende Neubauten have already done that. The whole point to SlowPlaceLikeHome was to intertwine nature and technology; to fuse the two together in a rather unsettled relationship."

You mentioned London Grammar are fans. How did you find that out?

"Dan Rothman (guitarist with LG) found me on twitter! I noticed he had posted a very kind piece on the latest track Cesare's Principle and both he and Ray Coffer (former Cocteau's and Smashing Pumkins manager) had heard it played on BBC. I don't have a major twitter following, so when someone does mention you, it is always a blast. I had a little chat with Dan and I think he found it intriguing that this was just myself in a forest.

The song itself is gradually landing on people's radars. Who knows how far it may reach? It has had no PR and no real push whatsoever I'm extremely pleased that it has received the attention it has, so far. I hoping to get over to the UK in 2016, to play a few dates. I will definitely hook-up with Dan if our schedules cross."

You write, play, record and produce all the SPLH material yourself. How did you get into music?

"I remember being enriched by music when I was a child. I'm still a child. I mean, music makes me feel as playful as a child at times. I was still in nappies and my Aunt played me pop tracks from her record collection. I was sold. I think she still has recordings of me screeching along to the songs, aged two or so! MTV-USA and Vincent Hanley was a regular event in Irish households and seeing Thriller for the first time, was something no one could forget.

When I hit my teens, I was always listening to the radio. Going to the Belleek markets, in search of albums Needless to say, with no pocket money, it was a trade or a (once in a blue moon) reward for good behaviour that won me my next listening post. But taping from the radio was the best means for getting your kicks."

Living close to the Northern Irish border, I got BBC Radio 1 on MW and it was a thrill to hear white labels played every Friday night. A pal of mine also had satellite TV, so we were educated in the so-called, U.S. generation X. Grunge was rife and No Disco was a total life saver for many teens! Donal Dineen is a legend."

As a music obsessive, I was so immersed in it, that I always wanted to try and contribute to what I saw as the total art form. It took me long enough to develop the confidence to let others hear the mess I was making. And I find it's always developing. Which is the one thing that keeps this project ticking along. Sure, it's not everybody's cup of tea but that's the great thing about making music. It's such a diversifying world of opinions and taste."

We heard you're a bit Flea fan. Why so?

"Music is something that everyone will appreciate in a different way. And that is great! But the industry itself can be ludicrous. It's missing a lot of genuine characters of, say, even 20 years ago. Flea eventually became a mainstream icon but compared to the blathering Kid Rock / Justin Bieber / Rhianna -types of the modern industry, he is/was a true messer. As a kid, I think he was one of the best bass players I witnessed.

But I keep my drooling appreciation for the combined lunacy and quality of people past, like Captain Beefheart (of whom I am a bit of a fanatic) and Lead belly. Innovators such as Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder, Sly & The Family Stone, Nina Simone and the like. The stories, the sessions; they're far more interesting than a bunch of professional celebrities, selling products on TV and being force-fed to the general public by means of bubble gum mainstream mediums."

Saying that, I always hold hope for the creatives to push through. Yawn-inducing vocal acrobatics and generic indie rock have done nothing except block the channels for truly inspirational music. Even now, we are top-heavy with it. Actually categorizing it all is quite a hilarious game these days."

There are current Irish acts like Bantum, The Altered Hours, Carriages, Gaze is Ghost, Ellll, that deserve far more lip service than they get. Although those Carriages lads do have egos the size of Fair City sets. They once came to Donegal and refused to play, unless they had a crate of bottled water and people were obliged to have photos taken with them for band signings, post gig. The Harry guy was quoting Tiger Woods all night."

I come from the town the legend Rory Gallagher was born. And although Blues Rock in general, bores me to death, I'd have it any day, over your average MTV-endorsed role model."

SlowPlaceLikeHome play Interlude festival in The Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, on Friday 23rd October. Click here for more info and ticket details.