In this micro-interview feature, we get to know the most radicalist up & coming stars on the planet. This week we’re talking to artists playing at The Great Escape festival in Brighton (19^th-21^st May).

On this occasion it’s Canadian troubadour Jesse Mac Cormack - the Montreal-native making the raw, timeless music of a much older soul.

In a very short period of time we’ve seen a remarkable progression in Mac Cormack not only as a singer-songwriter but also as a sound technician, producer and multi-instrumentalist. That said, we’re sure there’s much more to come.

From the languid, dusty charm of his debut EP ‘Music For The Soul’ to the dirtier blues of 2015’s CRUSH EP, the Boards of Canada-esque analog soundscapes of ‘After The Glow’ to the unshackled and unvarnished, all-out desert rock of his most recent offering ‘Repeat’, Mac Cormack has repeatedly proved himself not only an immensely talented writer, but an uncommonly diverse one as well.

We caught up with this Mac Cormack ahead of his performances at The Great Escape festival to learn a little more about his music for the soul…

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TMR: How is your 2016 tour going so far?

Great. So far I’ve been to France, Switzerland, Germany, USA and hitting the UK next week. Lots of exciting shows and crowds. The road is a very inspiring place for me.

TMR: What have been some of your most exciting moments in the past year?

Falling in love in Death Valley.

TMR: How did you first get involved in music?

Someone had to make a soundtrack for the end of the year show. I did it!

TMR: You might be simplistically categorized as a folk artist (of sorts) given the majority of your output thus far, yet your music seems to draw from a wealth of different influences. Who or what are some of your biggest inspirations and how do they affect your work?

My inspiration of the moment: TALK TALK. The last two records for sure. I'm loving Caribou's Our Love. Radiohead, can't deny. Muddy Waters, Led Zeppelin, all the big guys... but not only music influences me. People, films, visual art, moments and various styles of music in different contexts can bring really strong images.

TMR: You own your own studio and are heavily involved in production, what are some of your favourite pieces of equipment and why?

Tape echo - IT’S SO COOL. It makes everything sound vintage, I LOVE IT. Roland Juno-60 - anything sounds magic on that. My old Beyer m260 - to get a crispy vintage acoustic guitar sound.

TMR: Your music incorporates a number of different styles and types of equipment but it has retained a certain rawness throughout, clearly exemplified by your most recent single ‘Repeat’. Has this been a deliberate choice?

To keep the rawness? As much as I can. I try to keep my music as simple and raw as I can.

TMR: Hailing from Quebec I believe you speak French. Do you ever sing in French? Is this something you’d like to explore?

Not now, that's for sure. One thing at the time.

TMR: What does the rest of 2016 hold for Jesse Mac Cormack?

I'm writing a record and am hoping to put it together before the end of the year. Probably touring during the Fall. And a few collaborations on the production side.

TMR: We’re a blog specializing in new music so are there any up-and-coming bands you’ve been really enjoying lately?

Ouffff. I'm no good in what's new. Singer Helena Deland from Montreal hasn't released anything yet but I've produced her first EP and it will be out by the Fall for sure.

Both ‘After The Glow’ and ‘Repeat’ are out now via Secret City Records.

Catch Jesse Mac Cormack at The Great Escape, Hoxton Bar and Shacklewell Arms in London, and back in Canada too.

-Karl Jawara