RELEASE.. Conor Phillips is set to release his new EP in the coming weeks
Enniskillen musician Conor Phillips is preparing to release his first EP, writes Ryan Smith…
20-YEAR-OLD Conor Phillips is gearing up to release his debut EP.
The Enniskillen musician who is signed to ‘Sycamore Records’ released the first single from the EP several weeks ago, and is finishing up writing and recording the remaining tracks over the next couple of weeks.
Conor is signed to Enniskillen producer Joel Johnston’s record label and has been writing and recording with him over the summer months.
In his own words, Conor has come a long way from ‘playing in his bedroom’ to the writing and recording his own material.
Picking up a guitar aged 15, it has only been in the last year that Conor has put himself out there publicly.
He began by helping students at the South West College with recordings on assignments – and was encouraged into local gigs and his first recordings by fellow Enniskillen musician Aaron Wilson.
When Joel first mooted the idea of a Fermanagh based independent record label, one of the first names on his sheet was Conor.
“I’d no idea what he had planned – but we wrote the first song ‘Druken Lullabies’, recorded it and it went well,” Conor explained.
“I have my own originals but that was the first time I’d met Joel. We sat in a room with Aaron, and came up with ideas. This one came out of nowhere, and there’s been a good reaction. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind getting this recording done considering I was sat in my bedroom six months ago.”
The first single, which is available on the Sycamore Records Soundcloud page, was released back in July and is one of five to be featured on the EP.
“We’re doing five original tracks,” Conor went on, “At the minute we’ve got three written and two recorded. We’ve another one that’s written and recorded and another two to do.
“There would be a similar style but I’ve tried to vary them because it is only a five song EP. I don’t want to be confined to one style – so I wouldn’t like to say bring out a totally pop album and be confined to that.”
And, he has enjoyed the process.
“It’s a lot different than sitting playing for your own amusement. Everything is done properly, if there’s even a wee bit out he’ll say ‘we’ll redo that’. But the kit he’s got there is great.
The whole studio is brilliant, it’s very easy. It’s usually just me and Joel and maybe someone else in the room.
“You’d maybe record the guitars, then just the vocals – you might have to do the same verse over and over again. It’s a lot different for what I’m used to.”
As for the next few months, first on the agenda is a Sycamore Records launch night.
The night, taking place in Blakes of the Hollow on September 5, features each of the acts signed to the label.
And, once that takes place and the EP has been released, Conor hopes to keep momentum going.
“I’m hoping to get up to Belfast – if not move there then spend more time up there and get out a little more.
But I’ll see how things go when the EP comes out. I’m really, really psyched for that at the minute.”
