Album Review: Myles O'Reilly, Cocooning Heart

In the dozen years since he last took centre-stage as the frontman for Juno Falls, Myles O’Reilly has made a name for himself as a talented film-maker, producing beautiful music videos and documentaries for acts from Glen Hansard to Janelle Monáe. When lockdown hit, with nobody to film, O’Reilly borrowed a Moog synthesiser and returned to his first love, recording these ten stately, ambient-folk confessionals in his attic.

The soaring ‘Shine’ is about being blessed with the ability to sing and a mother’s love; ‘Songs In The Back’ is a beautiful effort about the kind of celebration it’s impossible to leave early, despite the consequences; and the sole cover, Low’s ‘Point Of Disgust’, is a delicate balancing act between synth, acoustic guitar, strings and vocals. ‘The Most Colourful Thread In The Loom’, meanwhile, is quietly magnificent, revealing itself as a wondrous love song, unveiled layer by gorgeous layer.

This is music to immerse yourself in, preferably with headphones on, and disappear amid the slowly ululating waves, like dipping into the biggest, warmest bath in the world. The title-track tells the story of how the album came to be, O’Reilly admitting, “I’m tired of being the one to listen/ Now I’ll make some music and make it love me.” We should be thankful that he did.

9/10