I was first introduced to the melodic sounds of Ahmed Sirour by none other than Applejac, a favorite here at SoulBounce and my one-man musical welcome wagon since moving to ATL. With a body of work that includes collaborations with artists such as Eric Roberson, DJ Kemit, and DJ Spinna just to name a few, it was no surprise that some of my favorite songs had been touched by the hands of Mr. Sirour himself. However, what drew me to the talent of this (completely) self-taught musician was the release of his debut instrumental EP, The After 2am Sessions.

I must admit that I do have an affinity for things that tend to lean toward the emotive, romantic, and/or sentimental, so the moment I pressed play I was hooked. The six-song EP flows through three sets-- the romantic, the erotic, and the spiritual -- and is described by Ahmed to be "for the everyday people who need to unwind and rejuvenate." Whether you choose to listen during the wee hours or like me on a rainy afternoon as the soundtrack to get away from it all, this is the music to do just that.

The opening track is one of my favorites; "In the Moonlight" makes you feel as though you've been swept into the middle of something beautiful, be it the music itself or perhaps the scenes it evokes. This quite possibly could be attributed to the piano that you hear as the song starts. I felt like I needed to be in a café in a city where I didn't speak the language. "Warm Rain" follows and flows quite nicely as you are literally listening to what sounds like rain falling against a window. For me, this is one of those pull-out-your-journal-and-reflect-on-your-life sort of songs.

Ahmed winds down with "Love One Another" and "Meditation," both tracks offering a peaceful balance to the romantic tone of the album. The beauty of this EP is that throughout you will find something that allows you to move beyond where you are. I appreciate music that leaves room for you, the listener, to think, to feel, and to actually live your life to. The After 2am Sessions is a debut that is as lovely as it is striking, leaving us wondering what Ahmed Sirour will bless us with next.

Ahmed Sirour The After 2am Sessions [Bandcamp]
Ahmed Sirour [Facebook][Twitter][SoundCloud]