Kormac is an Irish musician, producer, DJ and performer. He plays keys, guitar, drums and turntables, and produces records from his studio in Dublin. He has performed in Ireland and abroad as a solo artist and with his 11-piece ensemble, Kormac's Big Band.
Early life
After learning guitar at the age of twelve, O'Halloran began sampling French and German tapes from his school, making demos on a 4-track recorder. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin's Music and Media Technology Masters programme in 2004. He is a former member of Irish alternative/experimental group, 8Ball.
Career
Kormac released his first solo record, "The Scratch Marchin' EP" in 2007 via Scribble Records. The record fused heavily processed, obscure jazz samples with his own recordings. He subsequently made several DJ appearances. He followed with the "Good Lord EP" in 2008, this time using early Gospel music recordings for source material and inspiration. With a background in playing in bands and performing live, Kormac began to recreate his music live on stage with a group of musicians and VJs. Kormac's Big Band performed their first full show at the Electric Picnic Festival in 2008. Kormac released his first LP record, "Word Play", in 2010. The record featured collaborations with DJ Yoda, DJ Cheeba, MC Little Tree, Messiah J & The Expert and Koaste. The album featured the track, "Wash My Hands", which was used in several international ad campaigns and was licensed to several compilations. He later toured in the UK, Western and Eastern Europe, Australia, Canada and Africa. Kormac released "Doorsteps" in 2014 on Bodytonic Records. A largely collaborative affair, it took nearly two years to complete. Kormac visited the homes of Scottish author Irvine Welsh, Texan singer/songwriter Micah P. Hinson, Mercury Music Prize winner, Speech Debelle, Koaste, MC Little Tree and Bajka. The lead single, "Wake Up", was nominated for a Meteor Choice Music prize award. Kormac's Big Band played sold-out shows in Ireland, the UK, Australia and Europe to support the release. In 2017 he was commissioned by Jameson to make two tracks using only sounds he recorded at their distilleries in Dublin and Cork.
