Apollo is supposed to be R&S’s ambient division, but the new self-titled EP by Thomas McConville — a.k.a. mcconville — does anything but disappear into the background. The EP’s lead track “technicoloursupersong” sounds like Dead Cities era M83, which is a very good thing. Sun-drenched and skittering, it also bears the clear imprint of recent spastic, plastic, sliced and warped work by Iglooghost and AG Cook.
Classically trained and currently studying for a PhD in Music at Queen’s University Belfast, mcconville seems to have used this EP as an opportunity to escape the often-dreary monotony of the academy. That might explain the aspirational title of track 3, “popsongforpornstars.”
Though his works have reportedly been performed internationally as part of various gallery installations, festivals, and concert hall performances, the mcconville moniker has remained relatively unknown up to this point. To get in on the ground floor, all you’ve got to do is pre-order the mcconville EP on Bandcamp! Oh, and maybe stream “technicoloursupersong” below:
mcconville EP tracklisting:
01. technicoloursupersong
02. variation / interlude
03. popsongsforpornstars
04. breakthrough
05. music for piano, cello and violin