MAPLE MOUNTAIN SUNBURST ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM ECSTATIC OUT MAY 17 SHARES ETHEREAL SINGLE “WITHOUT FEAR”
Maple Mountain Sunburst, the project of Elora, Ontario-based composer, and multi-instrumentalist Andy McNeill, is thrilled to announce their immersive new album Ecstatic set for release on May 17. Today, they’re offering a taste of the album uniquely with the single “Without Fear” and its accompanying music video.
“Without Fear” is a spacey, atmospheric journey. The track’s otherworldly vibe gets an eye-catching complement from the music video created by celebrated artist Henning M. Lederer, known for his motion graphics inspired by vintage book covers.
Maple Mountain Sunburst isn’t your standard electronic music project. McNeill’s background in scoring documentaries and cartoons infuses his ambient, sample-based music with cinematic scope and a joyful warmth. This sound caught the ear of critics during the project’s earlier incarnation as The Maple Mountain Sunburst Triolian Orchestra, earning a glowing review from The Globe and Mail. Most notably, the project led to a collaboration with screen legend Isabella Rossellini.
After a creative hiatus, Maple Mountain Sunburst is back with Ecstatic, a shimmering nine-track album mixed in immersive Dolby Atmos.
McNeill describes the album as
“Instrumental electronic ambient with loops and chopped samples, old keyboards, guitars, and found voices. The vibe is heartwarming, blissed-out, and euphoric; a balm for turbulent times”.
The project draws inspiration from a wide array of sources, from the Beatles and Brian Eno, to rare sounds of an elderly woman recording fairy tales during the lockdown. This eclectic mix comes together to form a cohesive soundscape that functions as both nostalgic and fresh to listeners.