“I Agree” is Jessie Monk at Her Most Joyfully Weird
If you’ve ever wanted to hear what happens when a Berlin-based folk-jazz artist reads Rilke, drinks too much coffee, and gets into a studio with a bunch of virtuosos and a giant Irish whistle—Jessie Monk’s “I Agree” is for you.
The new single from her forthcoming concept album Mis O’ The Mountains is weird, wonderful, and unexpectedly wise. It's the kind of track that feels like a spontaneous road trip conversation about life, death, poetry, and why Brazilian grooves make everything feel a little less serious. And somehow, it works.
Lyrically, “I Agree” draws from Rainer Maria Rilke’s writings—specifically The Book of Hours and The Dark Interval—to build its themes around surrender and life’s ever-turning rhythms. That could easily come off as pretentious, but Monk pulls it off with charm and humor. Her vocal phrasing leans into the playfulness of the piece, as if she’s in on a joke that the rest of us are only starting to get.
The song is anchored by a smooth, swaying Bossa Nova-inspired groove, but it's full of spontaneous flourishes that keep it unpredictable—key changes that glide in and out like thoughts mid-conversation, and a rhythmic detour in the second verse that feels like a steam train jumping off the tracks only to land right where it needs to. It’s playful without being chaotic, complex without losing accessibility.
And then there’s the Irish whistle solo. Yes, you read that right. Conor Conningham whips out a massive B-flat whistle in the bridge, delivering a moment that is both hilariously unexpected and emotionally resonant. It feels almost like a cartoon character stepping into a Shakespearean drama—and yet it somehow elevates the song. That’s Monk’s magic: taking the absurd and making it spiritual.
The rest of the band brings the same energy. You can hear them laughing, clapping, vibing together in the room. This isn’t just a song—it’s a captured moment of collective joy, a flash of creative electricity that got lucky enough to be caught on tape. Recorded live at Berlin’s Butterama Studio, the song thrives on this chemistry.
“I Agree” is the perfect appetizer for Mis O’ The Mountains, which promises to dive into mythological and emotional territory with a similar mix of reverence and ridiculousness. Jessie Monk isn’t here to give you answers—she’s here to make you dance through the questions. And maybe whistle while you do.
