The Last Mixed Tape

For more than a decade, Gilla Band have made some of the most uncompromising music to emerge from Ireland. Their records are loud, abrasive and often difficult to describe but beneath the distortion lies something remarkably human.

This documentary explores how the band’s work evolved alongside frontman Dara Kiely’s own experiences of psychosis, schizophrenia and recovery, and how those personal struggles came to reflect the emotional landscape of modern Ireland.

Drawing on interviews with the band from Pitchfork, The Guardian, Hot Press and Nialler9, alongside research into Ireland’s mental health and housing crises, the film argues that Gilla Band’s music documents something larger than any individual experience.

From the panic attack preserved forever as the opening of Prolix, to the remarkable honesty of their latest single Placeholder, taken from their upcoming album Pugnello, this is the story of a band gradually moving from surrealism toward direct emotional expression.

The Last Mixed Tape is hosted by Stephen White, and is also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.