Irish roots-rock artist Marc O’Reilly has released his new acoustic-duo EP ‘The Monique Sessions ’ featuring MOBO award winning Danish bassist Jasper Hoiby.The tracks were recorded live in one take at Monique Studios in Cork and captured on analogue tape by producer/engineer Christian Best ( Mick Flannery, Marlene Enright etc ). Marc met Jasper when they both performed on the 2nd album by MOBO award winners Kairos 4Tet at Peter Gabriel’s legendary Real World Studios and an impromptu jam at the album launch in London inspired them to record and perform live together.The tracks on the EP span O’Reilly’s four albums to date.

A wholesome and passionate EP ‘The Monique Sessions ’ displays just how potent Marc O’Reilly is as a musician. The songs take a new dimension through this acoustic setting as refined guitar work weaves between warm rasp laced vocals. ‘Steal Love’ begins the EP. O’Reilly gives a new lease of life to the song taken from his 2017 ‘Morality Mortality’ album as twinkling guitars and a light flurry on bass fluctuate and ripple in the backdrop.The pizzicato jumps on guitars playfully interject between the passionate vocal melody. O’Reilly masterfully provides layers, textures and oodles of emotion to this stripped back approach. The mystery and suspense provided in bluesy hued ’The Scottish Widow’ is impressive with an eerie yet unnerving, comforting tone adorning the backdrop in velvety rich bass lines. ‘Healer’ is the final track on the EP. A little more buoyant to the album version, it grooves its way with relentless foot tapping infectiousness. 

‘The Monique Sessions’ EP takes these songs which span O’Reilly’s four albums and adds a richness and mesmerising new facet to the tracks beauty. The simplistic approach injects more life and texture into the tracks while the jam quality and rawness provide soul and passion that is just so sublime

Stream ‘The Monique Sessions’ below 

Author : Danu