Irish singer Declan O’Rourke will make his screen acting debut at the Galway Film Fleadh tomorrow, Friday, July 9.
A single from the Kinvarra-based singer-songwriter’s forthcoming album will appear on the score of the world premier of Australian feature film Almost With You, at the Town Hall Theatre, at 8.30pm.
Written and directed by Irish-born Australian Adam Morris, featuring songs by O’Rourke, with additional music by Luka Bloom, Almost With You takes place in the remote Australian coastal town of Albany, where touring musician Brendan Kelly (O’Rourke ), grieving the recent loss of his brother, finds solace.
The single, ‘Echo’, offers a first glimpse of the forthcoming album Oceanic, to be released in October. The album draws on O’Rourke’s long-standing connection to Australia, and reflects a life lived across two continents and hemispheres. Produced by O’Rourke and longtime friend and collaborator Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil ), 'Echo' features Moginie on electric guitars, and Nick Seymour (Crowded House ) on bass.
“The simple message of ‘Echo’ is that what you send out into the world is what comes back to you,” says O’Rourke. “Jim and I wrote it fairly fast. But it became such a fun kind of beefy rocker as we recorded. I love how dynamic and robust it turned out to be.”
Oceanic, recorded in Sydney with Moginie as co-producer, marks a profound full-circle moment in O’Rourke’s life and career. Returning to Australia, where he first began recording songs as a teenager, O’Rourke has created a record shaped by place, memory and return.
‘Echo’ is available now on all streaming platforms. Oceanic will be released on October 16 ahead of a nationwide Irish tour this autumn. The World Premiere of Almost With You takes place at Galway Film Fleadh on July 9.
Tickets €13/€12 from www.THT.ie
