Solid State Pacifier	Palm Pictures
	27 September 2000	Stephen Robinson
Oh Wow! Breeders meet Massive Attack as Skindive kick in the Jams. This record has all the things that music and sex have in common, it's intimate, it's hard, it's brutal, it's tantalising, it's trippy, it's good every time you do it. Wow, really.

	Tranquillizer	Palm Pictures
	08 February 2001	n/a
Skindive have released their new single 'tranquillizer' from their forthcoming self-titled debut album. "This record has all the things that music and sex have in common, it's intimate, it's hard, it's brutal, it's tantalising, it's trippy, it's good every time you do it, Wow, really!" Hotpress Skindive's sound is compulsive listening, incorporating the music of composer/songwriter/guitarist Gerry Owens, guitars and dramatic vocals with thundering drums. Skindive unleashes dark, propulsive grooves, offset by string laden orchestrations that enhance the albums cinematic ambience. Gerry Owens was born in Dublin and raised in Trim, Co.WestMeath. His parents bought him his first instrument when he was seven or eight. One of those little casio keyboards. By his mid teens, Owens was writing original material. He spent three years in London, playing in a series of bands, but returned to Dublin to concentrate on writing new songs that distill his aesthetic to it's purest essence. He then set about forming a band to animate the music. Bassist Alan Lee and drummer Ger Farrell from Carlow were signed on during the first four months of recruiting but finding the voice to embody Owens' lyric proved tougher. I had intended from the very start to use a female vocalist, he explains, because the music is to intense. I needed a voice that's going to cut through. He tried out dozens of vocalists, most of which were very talented, yet lacked the distinctive timbre skindive required. Finally, one rejected aspirant recommended a friend from LA. She played the music to Danielle Harrison over the phone that night and a week later Danielle was over to audition. Skindive spent the next year giging around Dublin and polishing their highly visual live show. Then the band self financed a trip to the US to pursue a record deal with one very specific quarry in mind; Chris Blackwell (founder of Island Records and Palm Pictures) His interest piqued by the bands demos and its reception in Los Angeles and New York. Blackwell flew to Dublin and two songs into the gig, decided skindive belonged to Palm Pictures - they were signed on the spot. As Hotpress wrote in the Annual just before Christmas, They are going to be absof**kinglutelly HUGE - make no mistake about it". So get ready. Skindive is set to conquer the world. Skindive will be playing at the PoD on Thursday, February 15th.