brushstroke debuts with dreamy, guitar centric album One vs. One

South Philly musician Eoin Murphy, aka brushstroke, has recently released his album One vs. One, a set is full of catchy, sleepy, guitar based songs about love. Murphy isn’t necessarily a crooner, but his vocals are charming and authentic. He personally played, wrote, and recorded everything on the album himself, an impressive feat. His production features interesting sounds and textures, a refreshing mix of synths and guitar.

One stand out track from the project is “S.T.C.” A video game inspired synth takes the lead with a super catchy rhythm section. The vocal melody is more dynamic, which balances out the repetitive phrases in an interesting way. The ending delivers satisfyingly glitchy synths and a gorgeous electric guitar solo.

One of my personal favorites from the album is the cover of J Dilla’s “Fall In Love.”  It starts off slow and clear, with mid range electric guitar. Dreamy and eloquent layers of electric guitar, and a subtle, but rich bass fill out the sound. The cover is rather simple, but in the best way. It lets the song speak for itself while showcasing Murphy’s musicianship.

“Fever Dreams” is another highlight of the album. The melody is memorable and sing-along friendly. The production choices here are interesting, especially with the synths in the chorus and the subtle percussion. This track features yet another awesome guitar solo. This solo is my favorite from the album. Murphy makes the electric guitar sound like it’s singing.

Overall, this album is a solid and unique debut for brushstroke, establishing his own style as well as displaying taste and musicianship. Check out One vs. One down below, and catch brushstroke live at Bourbon and Branch on March 22nd. More info on that show here.