Whilst she may only just be launching a solo career, Dutch-Swiss musician Ella van der Woude has already been sharing her talents with the world for a number of years. ELLA has been writing music for films, fronting indie rockers Houses and performing as a touring member of one of our favourite new acts of last year Amber Arcades. In her own music though ELLA has arguably saved her strongest move until now, with her brilliant self-titled EP .
The music that makes up the EP is the product of ELLA melding her ideas for film-scores into more traditional song based structures. The record was stitched together over a number of years of writing in her bedroom; using little more than her voice, a baritone guitar and a limited palette of synthesisers, before ELLA teamed up with long time Massive Attack collaborator Stew Jackson to bring the most out of the songs ELLA had written.
The result is a stunning collection of five perfectly formed, sparse and emotional tracks; from the restless Cat Power-like beauty of While You Are Away to the sweet and mesmerising closing track Lullaby, resplendent with rich, bright piano chords, washes of gorgeous strings and perfectly plucked guitar melodies. It’s arguably the records opening track, and first single, IDWTGTKY that is the stand out though, from a bed of twinkling synth, prominent bass and rumbling, easy drum beats emerge, as ELLA’s beautiful, ethereal vocal drifts in and out of earshot, distorting slightly as she reaches for louder notes, and then retreating to a quieter range. Lyrically like much of the album, IDWTGTKY is a tricky musing on the complexity of relationships, and the danger in giving too much of yourself away.
The Fat Angel Sings 