The Last Mixed Tape

What does the word “Fenian” really mean and can it ever be reclaimed? In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape , we explore Fenian , the new album from Kneecap, and the complex history behind one of the most loaded words in Irish identity. From its origins in Irish mythology and the Fianna, through revolutionary movements and into its use as a sectarian slur during the Troubles, “Fenian” is a word s...

Is the Eurovision Song Contest really apolitical or has it always been shaped by politics? With over 1,000 artists calling for a boycott of Eurovision 2026 and multiple countries withdrawing from the contest, this year’s competition has become one of the most controversial in its history. With the question of Isreal’s participation at its core. Drawing on past moments from Bosnia’s wartime entry i...

At Coachella 2026, two performances sparked completely different reactions. Justin Bieber took to the stage with a laptop, revisiting old performances and creating a stripped-back, introspective set that divided opinion. Some called it lazy. Others called it art. Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter delivered a full-scale headline performance choreography, costume changes, live band and was praised for do...

In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, Stephen White explores the meaning of Ali Ghamsari’s recent performance a US targeted Power Plant in Iran, placing it within a wider history of artists who have faced real consequences for their work from Sarajevo to the North of Ireland to Tehran.

In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, I explore Kanye West’s latest album Bully and the uncomfortable questions it raises about how we engage with art in 2026. This is a deeper look at the relationship between artist and audience, and whether it’s still possible to separate the art from the artist in an era where context is impossible to ignore. Drawing on the reaction to Bully, Kanye’s recent c...

In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, we explore the reaction to Kneecap ’s recent trip to Cuba and what that reaction reveals about the relationship between music, politics, and public discourse. As Cuba faces ongoing blackouts, shortages, and economic strain shaped in part by the long-standing United States embargo against Cuba Kneecap’s decision to speak out has drawn both support and critici...

Rosalía ’s Lux tour is being described as something more than a concert. In this episode, we explore why. From her early work in flamenco to the global success of Motomami and now Lux, Rosalía has built a career on blending tradition with modern pop without ever losing the cultural identity at the centre of her music. But with the Lux tour, that idea evolves further. Structured more like a piece o...

Is Skinty Fia by Fontaines D.C. already a modern Irish classic? In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, we explore the cultural impact of Fontaines D.C.’s third album Skinty Fia and ask whether it deserves to stand alongside the greatest Irish records ever made. Looking at the album through five key criteria; cultural relevance, popular resonance, iconic status, influence, and artistry — this vide...

In Peaky Blinders, the music is completely wrong. The story is set in the early 20th century, yet the soundtrack is filled with modern artists like Nick Cave, Fontaines D.C., Lankum, and Amyl and the Sniffers. So why does it work so well? With the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, this episode of The Last Mixed Tape explores how the show’s anachronistic soundtrack reflects deeper themes...

Ireland have been drawn against Israel in the Nations League and the question of boycott has resurfaced. But musicians have been facing this question for decades. From the Sun City boycott during apartheid South Africa, to artists like Brian Eno, Roger Waters, and Lorde refusing to perform in Israel and others like Nick Cave and Radiohead rejecting cultural boycotts the debate is not new.

In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, Stephen White delves into U2’s Days of Ash EP and breaks down the contrast between “American Obituary” and “One Life At A Time,” explores the tribute to Sarina Esmailzadeh in “Songs of the Future,” and asks whether U2’s latest release is truly their most political work or a carefully calibrated one.

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime show transformed the cultural stage in America. From Puerto Rican symbols, wedding moments, Spanish language performance and the message “The only thing more powerful than hate is love,” this halftime show became a cultural flashpoint of unity, backlash, and identity. In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, we unpack why the backlash revealed more about America tha...

This week on The Last Mixed Tape, we look at how the announcement of Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl LX halftime performer exposed a deep cultural divide in America. The backlash from right-wing politicians and commentators, and the creation of an “alternative” halftime show framed around faith and tradition, reveal a fight over identity, belonging, and who gets to define what “American” means.

This episode of The Last Mixed Tape examines how pop culture is increasingly absorbed into the machinery of state authority from government agencies such ICE using pop music without consent, to the quiet violence through aesthetics, familiarity, and sound.

Women in music are often celebrated for their honesty until that honesty becomes inconvenient. From Nina Simone and Sinéad O’Connor to Courtney Love, Phoebe Bridgers, FKA twigs, Megan Thee Stallion and Chappell Roan, a familiar pattern emerges: when women assert creative control, speak politically, or refuse to be agreeable, they are labelled “difficult.” This episode of The Last Mixed Tape explor...

In 1990, Sinéad O’Connor released Black Boys on Mopeds, a song written in response to state violence, national myths, and the stories governments tell after tragedy. More than thirty years later, those stories feel disturbingly familiar. In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, we explore how Black Boys on Mopeds connects Thatcher-era Britain to the present day, examining how narratives around auth...

At the turn of the millennium, music became free and culture was changed forever. In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, we trace how capitalism slowly colonised music: from Napster and the backlash against Lars Ulrich, to streaming platforms that pay artists fractions of a penny, and finally to AI-generated music designed to replace creation entirely. This is a story about nostalgia how language...

Ten years after David Bowie’s death, Blackstar remains one of the most haunting and deliberate final works in modern music. Often framed as a farewell album, Blackstar feels closer to something far more intentional: an artist confronting not just mortality, but the loss of authorship over his own legacy. In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, Stephen White explores how Bowie used Blackstar to des...

Phil Lynott didn’t just write one of Dublin’s most beautiful songs, he revealed something deeper about identity, belonging, and culture. In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, Stephen White explores Old Town, Phil Lynott’s tender 1982 solo track, and why it remains one of the most intimate love letters ever written to Dublin. Moving through Lynott’s life, his work with Thin Lizzy, Irish mythology...

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) doesn’t sound like a protest song and that’s exactly the point. In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, we explore how John Lennon used Christmas, tradition, and familiarity to deliver one of the most quietly radical political messages in popular music. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, this episode traces Lennon’s shift from confrontation to persuasion — from t...

CMAT’s Euro Country is the standout Irish album of 2025 and a cultural moment. In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, Stephen explores how CMAT’s songwriting, humour, and hyperreal pop persona captured the realities of modern Ireland: the housing crisis, post–Celtic Tiger disillusionment, political theatre, and the strange mix of chaos and hope that defines life in 2025. We unpack the album’s the...

In 2025, Irish musicians stepped into the political frontline. From Fontaines D.C. and Kneecap tartists across Ireland and the UK are taking a stand against the rise of far-right extremism, violence, and organised disinformation. With the launch of the TOGETHER Against The Far Right Alliance, more than 50 civil-society groups and hundreds of cultural workers are uniting to push back and 2026 could...

Syd Barrett was the genius who founded Pink Floyd… and the friend they lost long before he was gone. Fifty years after Wish You Were Here, the album still feels like a monument to grief, guilt, and a band trying to understand the collapse of someone they loved. This is the story of Syd, Pink Floyd, and the masterpiece shaped by trauma. In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, we dive into how the l...

Kneecap have returned with “No Comment” their latest music statement since the terrorism charge against Mo Chara was thrown out earlier this year. This episode breaks down why this song is hitting so hard, how it ties back to the case, and why “no comment” has become a form of cultural defiance. In this show, I explore: • how Kneecap use satire and Irish identity as political resistance • how the...

Charli XCX has entered her darkest era yet. With “House,” her new collaboration with The Velvet Underground legend John Cale for Emerald Fennell’s upcoming Wuthering Heights (2026), Charli steps into a world of gothic romance, decaying architecture, and emotional brutality, a complete reinvention from her Brat era. In this deep-dive, The Last Mixed Tape explores Charli’s career-defining pivot afte...