Ess.J – Hold On

It’s not often I’m left lost for words.. but that’s exactly how I felt when I discovered Ess.J, the musical project of Sarah O’Mahony. Born and raised in a small fishing village in West Cork, Ireland; it’s clear from the the tone of her voice she’s searching for a simplicity and solemnity in her songs, an eerie dusty charm that is both understated and timeless, perhaps influenced by her heritage and surroundings. Hold On is a stunning piece of work considering it’s still in demo form, and one wonders how it will sound fully realised. You can almost hear the wind swirling around, breathing life into her words. Arrows is from the same place emotionally; held together by a melancholy piano backdrop that owes just as much to Thom Yorke as it does to traditional folk melodies. Due to be released in Autumn 2014, her self produced E.P Salt In My Veins promises to be a seriously beautiful introduction.

https://www.facebook.com/EssJmusic

Phill Young