POPICAL ISLAND €3, Popical Island ****

Popical Island has established itself as the go-to record label for all things Irish, indie and alternative, and its success is both gratifying and deserved. This 23-track compilation (the last in a series of three) provides a succinct blast of the music scene's varied indie-pop and indie-rock artists. Although the overarching theme is one of undeniable tweeness, there are some cracking songs here, most notably The Run On's exercise in slacker-rock A Great Bunch of Lads; the perky melodiousness of Land Lovers' There's No Place Like a Prison; and So Cow's punk-laced barb, High Standards. Elsewhere, promising new acts Ginnels impress with the skewed love song Gangs of Witches. Established acts Tieranniesaur and Squarehead also make solid contributions. These songs are predominantly lo-fi, often ramshackle, but reliably charming. popicalisland.band camp.com

Download tracks:So Cow, High Standards; Ginnels, Gangs of Witches