Mitch McAteer is a 21-year-old Irish singer-songwriter set to release his debut EP. The gravitas of Mitch’s voice finds a worthy home alongside the alt-folk collection’s sombre guitar and lazy, rolling drums. There are moments where his raw vocals recall artists such as Ray LaMontagne and Nathaniel Rateliff, his gruff timbre escalating to a confessional howl in the chorus. Debut single ‘I Hate That I Love You’ was the first taster to Mitch’s EP, recorded in the Irish countryside over just four days. Similar to when he wrote the tracks, it was important for Mitch to record them in isolation – with no signal, no wifi, no distraction.
The turning point in Mitch’s creative journey came when he returned from London to a mobile home on the fringes of his uncle’s farm. He craved space to think and process, and no wifi and a £10 mobile phone helped perfectly to achieve that! The beauty of his Co. Down homeland allowed him to open up creatively. He was inspired by the dynamics of the scenery, the changing seasons, the cycle from dull misty mornings to warm summer evenings. After months of writing in isolation, the songs evolved into the upcoming EP – what Mitch describes as a “wee family”.
A major inspiration for the EP’s production style was Nashville producer Dave Cobb’s live approach to recording. Mitch drafted in friends and family to come play on the tracks and recorded everything live. He is a firm believer that this vintage form of production connects with people more organically because the feelings of the musicians are more present. This old-school approach to recording aims to “capture the truth in human errors” and reflects Mitch’s love for and deep connection to the music. The result is a remarkable talent that can be felt intensely throughout his songs.
Listen to ‘I Hate That I Love You’ – BELOW:
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