After too long in the shadows, the real Michael McCartney steps out

Michael McCartney is one of those music industry phantoms.

Behind the scenes he's contributed to a myriad of other artists' creations, now he's sharing his.

Inspired by artists and producers, McCartney draws from a genre-spanning pool of creators like Mark Ronson, Kasey Musgraves, Bad Bad Not Good, David Byrne, Harry Styles and Gotye.

Spending time honing his vintage pop sound over the past three years, ‘Too Long’ is the first single lifted from his debut EP, the first in a series of four to be released over the next 12 months.

The track got its first spin on triple j Unearthed last week.

With collaboration in his blood, the Four EP Series features long term musical partner Ian Peres, whose credits include chart-toppers Matt Corby, Ruel and Jarryd James.

They’ve shared the stage for artists like Wolfmother and Ash Grunwald and more recently, they’ve shared the studio with many artists including San Mei (McCartney is their studio drummer).

For much of the creative mix-duties, McCartney turned to in-demand producer and mixer engineer Konstantin Kersting (Mallrat, Tones And I) sighting Kersting’s unique sonic touch.

McCartney’s debut single 'Too Long' was recorded on the Gold Coast at Love St Studios. It's a desperate call to action to slow down and take stock, both personally and as a community.

Inspired by the podcast ‘The End Of The World with Josh Clarke' that he’d listened to while travelling South East Asia last year, the song couldn't be more relevant.