Fight Like Apes’ 2008 debut brought back an undiluted sense of mischief-making that had been missing from the frontline of Irish rock music for too long. Fronted by the high-octane MayKay, they sound like a gunshot marriage of sparkling hooks, a punk-fuelled attitude, a penchant for shouting and a sandpaper sound that blends crisp synth-rock dynamics with dizzying operatic flights. ‘Something Global’ pokes fun at the meeja and ‘Jake Summers’ is positively hilarious. The band’s main songwriters MayKay and Pockets regularly kick songs where they might not want to go, but the sense of unfettered chaos can be as liberating for the listener as it must be for the band. FLA are joyously unique.

No 46 in 2009, as voted for by over 200 Irish musicians.