The Secret Project

The Secret Project, like any project, came about unexpectedly. This is its top-secret history. So don't tell.

Producer Shauli Eshet first met Onili through Bass player Jonathan Levi, when Onili was recording her debut album. Shauli offered to contribute his musical knowhow to Onili's recording sessions, and brought along his wonderful vibe to the studio. After this collaboration, both Shauli and Onili were left with sweet memories of their great chemistry, a feeling which they wanted to sustain. Shauli, who was seeking out a singer and lyricist to write lyrics for his compositions, suggested they work together. The song Climb proved a successful trial and made clear to Shauli that the two of them were on to something right and true. He felt they should make an album together. Which kind of album? Neither knew. But that's how music is made – a process always full of strange, surprising twists and turns.

Onili lived in Haifa at the time, and while collaborating on the songs Shauli and Onili didn't meet in person. Like a spy receiving directions from her operator, Onili was sent Shauli's compositions, wrote the lyrics and recorded the singing part in Haifa, and then sent her work to Shauli. Based on these sketches, Shauli arranged and produced rich, lush songs. Shauli played base guitar, drums and keybords on these songs, but also brought a slew of top musicians in on the secret: Nir Manzur, Yonatan Levi, Sefi Tsizling, David Elfandri, Yair Sluzky, Idan Kay, Shlomi Alon and Ran Shem Tov. All work was kept under the wraps of the studio, in the shadows of the tracks. No one spoke of the project and it remained a secret – a matter only for those involved and those in the know.

The Secret Project's debut album would make an excellent soundtrack to the next James Bond movie. The ambience is that of a faintly naïve, slightly melancholy but optimistic American film. The album was recorded at Shauli's Studio in Bardo Studios, and mixed by Ran "Fuzzy" Shem Tov at Vivi Studios. When recordings wrapped up, only a handful of friends were given copies to comment on. When they asked about the band, the reply was: "This is our Secret Project. Don't pass it on."

The Secret Project's debut album will be released soon, and the band will go on tour all over Israel, accompanied by six fellow musicians. So far the band has performed a number of times, only for well-informed crowds. On stage the lighting is soft, the album's enigmatic, soothing feel is maintained and the sweeping sound carries you away.