Irish synth-rock group Fight Like Apes have announced that they will disband following an upcoming string of Irish shows.

The band warns that while Ireland has never produced so many talented and diverse musicians - more artists will be forced to call it a day due to financial pressures.

"There are massive challenges for a lot of bands, mostly financial, that make this a tough job and sadly, those obstacles have become too big for us.

"I think we all know that we're going to hear announcements like this more often," the group wrote on its Facebook page.

The members highlighted the challenges musicians face working in the modern music industry:

"A lot of people don’t seem to understand that we can’t keep producing records if you keep not paying for them. Bands are having to sell beautiful albums for €2.99, labels can’t give you as much support since they’re losing income too and our alternative radio stations are practically non existent now, meaning so many wonderful bands will not get a chance to get played on radio as they’ll be competing with huge pop acts."

Fight Like Apes highlighted the support that they received from TXFM - the alternative music station which ceased broadcasting last week. They call on music fans to shop in local record stores, rather than relying on streaming services:

"Don’t fool yourself in to thinking that your £10 subscription to Deezer and Spotify helps us at all. It does not. Look how many bands are on there and do the maths. Please go to gigs. Please buy merch."

The band thanked their fans and said that all of the members will be seen again "under different musical guises."

Fight Like Apes' final shows take place in The Roisin Dubh, Galway on November 24th, Connollys of Leap, Cork on November 25th and Whelans in Dublin on December 9th.