Ryan O’Reilly - “I Want You To Know Me” (ft. Anna Vaverková)

Ireland-based Ryan O’Reilly is back on the blog with “I Want You To Know Me,” a stripped-back and heartfelt collaboration with Czech songwriter Anna Vaverková.

The track opens with O’Reilly’s raw vocal over the top of some melancholic acoustic guitar. It does not take long for the arrangement to widen with the sounds of multiple ethereal slices of ear candy, including what appears to be the soft notes from a piano, as well as a ghostly pedal steel provided by Nashville-based Spencer Cullum, Jr.   

On the refrain, some gentle percussion arrives to elevate the production as O’Reilly delivers the fantastic hook. We’ve been fans of his work for quite some time and once you hear his voice, you’ll understand why– the result is always honest and authentic, without relying on modern production to let it guide you through your emotions.

Vaverková’s sweet voice brings us the second verse in a breathy, emotional delivery and it is not at all difficult to imagine the two of them gathered around the same microphone. This is no small feat, especially these days, when many collabs are transcontinental. As listeners, we need to believe that the vocalists are in the same room, and “I Want You To Know Me” allows us to do just that.

Finally, O’Reilly and Vaverková come together in a mesmerizing harmony on the second chorus– the exact outcome for which we were hoping. Their voices effortlessly glide through the sonic space, allowing listeners to briefly escape from their mundane existence– the entire reason that music exists in the first place, as far as we’re concerned.

If you’ve been building a soundtrack as a means to keep war over the approaching winter, we recommend adding “I Want You To Know Me” to that list.

-HD