This 12 months isn’t one which Nieve Ella is prone to overlook. From gracing NME’s Cowl to getting ready for a help slot with Lady In Purple, 2024 has seen the singer develop her already devoted legion of followers – and embark on a sequence of stay exhibits which have left her “able to make the bounce from cult hero to correct stardom”.
Now, after making waves along with her 2023 EPs ‘Lifetime Of Wanting’ and ‘Younger & Naive’, she’s again with ‘Watch It Ache And Bleed’, a charming and intoxicating launch that sees her start a brand new chapter. Aged simply 21, Ella solidifies her standing as one of the intriguing rising artists lately. Her distinctive mix of pop, ‘90s indie and self-aware lyricism is out in full pressure, as are some surprising additions that push her sound into new territory.
Opening monitor ‘Something’ is likely one of the most pristine examples. Whether or not it’s the charismatic guitar riff that opens the EP or the enchanting vocal melodies that lay her innermost ideas naked, every facet of the monitor feels constructed with goal. The same story goes for the follow-up, ‘Sugarcoated’; it’s a strong depiction of what first put Ella on the map, written with the stage in thoughts and a soon-to-be basic in her discography.
That stated, ‘Watch It Ache And Bleed’ is way from Ella merely taking part in to her strengths. In a method tracks similar to ‘The Issues We Say’, ‘The Cause’ and ‘Cease Me!’ discover her doing what she does finest: delivering candid, charming lyrics that resonate with all of us in excessive and low moments alike. But, in one other method, there’s a newfound sense of maturity right here that separates this EP from Ella’s earlier releases. “It’s exhausting to name it quits when every little thing I wished was precisely this,” she ponders within the stripped-back, piano-led ballad ‘The Cause’. “I’m attempting to plead with you / I get down on my knees / Your foot’s within the doorway after I’m begging to go away.”
Because the music steadily builds in direction of its climax, you’d be forgiven for considering this emotive method is one that can dominate the EP. That’s, till Ella proves she has one final trick up her sleeve with the tongue-in-cheek anthem ‘Ganni Prime’. Because it kicks into gear with a joyous scream, earlier moments of rose-tinted melancholy are juxtaposed with an empowering, brazen and sexually-empowered hit.
Not solely does ‘Watch It Ache And Bleed’ show that Ella remains to be the reigning champion of enthrallingly blended indie-pop, however it additionally showcases an unmissable progress from the singer together with a refusal to be pigeonholed. There isn’t any doubt that that is a few of her strongest materials to this point. With every of the eight tracks, the rising star proves that she understands herself and her sound greater than ever earlier than. She’s strolling the fantastic line between self-growth and carefree pleasure with ease.
Particulars
- Launch date: October 18, 2024
- Report label: AWAL
