Those sleepless nights Jack Colleran’s spent crafting his music have certainly paid off, because he’s produced what is easily my favourite EP of the year so far. To put all this into context: this time last year, Mr. Colleran, otherwise known as MMOTHS [Twitter/Facebook], was studying for his Leaving Cert in June – I was doing the same, but I wasn’t the one getting signed on the day my results came out. He was; and now, seven months later, his debut EP is ready to be unleashed on the world. You’ll forgive me for being more than a little proud of the man: the Kildare native has accomplished a lot for someone who’s only 18.
As anyone who’s seen the beautiful video for the equally breathtaking, six-minute THNX can probably guess, Mmoths’s EP revels in being given plenty of space to create. It can either be lazily dismissed as ‘chillwave’ or appreciated for what it is: electronica that is so drenched in atmospherics that it’s quite difficult to nail down. Colleran has a keen ear for a hook, and while these tracks cannot be called ‘pop’ in terms of structure or general composition, the melodies that they feature certainly can. If Only makes do with two chords for most of its duration, but then an insistent melody is layered over the top, transforming it into something completely irresistible.
There are other times when Colleran goes for the jugular and produces material of the most dazzlingly euphoric kind, stuff that wears its accessibility on its sleeve; stuff like the Keep Shelly in Athens-featuring Heart, which combines plaintive vocals with a stuttering keyboard line and a simple yet astonishingly effective beat: the result is something that’s impressive on any different number of levels.
It is appropriate that Colleran should have a track called Summer (it’s impossible to pick a highlight on this EP but, as I write this review, it’s my current favourite) as that is the environment in which these songs will surely work best, but this EP should certainly (ahem) put a spring in your step. In that case, the release of EP1 has been perfectly timed, and this winning collection of uplifting electronica will find favour with many. All of Colleran’s best years are ahead of him, and his best music too. Consider that for a moment. I haven’t heard an EP this accomplished from anyone his age in a while. He’s gonna go far.
EP1 is out today on Street Quality Entertainment