Dorian Sorriaux

Dorian Sorriaux, better known as the formidable guitarist with Swedish Rock band Blues Pills, released his sublime debut solo EP 'Hungry Ghost' on Friday 29th June via Soulseller Records. This four track EP is definitely a deviation from the Blues Pills rocking psychedelia, instead channelling a more laid back acoustic folk direction, heavily drawing influence and inspiration from such artists as Neil Young, Tim Buckley, Nick Drake and Bert Jansch.



Sorriaux initially made a massive impression with his mesmerising electric guitar playing when Blues Pills first appeared on the Rock scene in 2014. The band formed in Örebro in 2011 going on to release their debut studio album ‘Blues Pills’ in July 2014, and a second ‘Lady in Gold’ in August 2016, both on the Nuclear Blast label. Dorian displayed an incredible expressiveness to his playing, creating rich melodic tones with tastefully controlled vibrato and delivered with a delicate touch and dynamism not to dissimilar to the likes of legendary guitarists Peter Green and Paul Kossoff.



With a well-earned break in Blues Pills touring schedule, Dorian has been able to explore his passion for acoustic folk with the release of this debut EP. All four tracks were written by Sorriaux and recorded at Blues Pills own studio in Örebro, Sweden. The EP was produced and mixed by Blues Pills bass player Zack Anderson and mastered by Jon Moorehead. The songs were tracked with Dorian’s live vocal and acoustic guitar through a single mic, capturing the organic purity and emotional depth of the performances perfectly, giving it that authentic classic late 60’s early 70’s folk sound and airy vibe. The EP features two other guest musicians, Emelie Sjöström on vibraphone and Blues Pills keyboard/guitarist Rickard Nygren on Fender Rhodes. The beautifully striking psychedelic collage cover artwork was created by Chekou Cantú Garcia and is based on old Nicholas Roerich paintings.



The first track is the haunting 'Huitoto', with its delicate acoustic guitar picking and subtle vibraphone touches adding to the overall tingling atmosphere. The confessional 'Hungry Ghost' is a gently strummed, raw and intense song with bags of emotion seeping from Dorian's warm and tender vocals. The title ‘Hungry Ghost’ comes from a book called ‘In The Realm Of Hungry Ghosts’ by Dr. Gabor Maté. Essentially it is saying is that the hungry ghost inside of us makes us feel as though we are not good enough the way we are, ultimately driving people to seek more of the things that can lead to self-destruction. This is heavy soul baring stuff!



'Need To Love' is a fragile and ethereal song performed with eminent grace. Dorian's voice sounds quite emotionally exposed and vulnerable but with an honest and deep resonance, quite moving. The divine and graceful 'Hello My Friend', a song that recalls tragic American folk hero Jackson C. Frank, closes the EP with its lilting arpeggios and celestial vocals. These four songs reveal the striking talent of a young songwriter finally stepping into the limelight. Immediately following the EP's release, Sorriaux is set to play his first UK solo live shows supporting Myles Kennedy, culminating in a prestigious concert at the London Palladium on Sunday 29th July.



Steven C. Gilbert