The music of Ellie Gowers always serves as a welcome breath. New EP ‘You, the Passenger’ is no different. Except it finds Ellie reaching beyond the bounds of Folk to incorporate Indie-Pop and Soft Rock. Whereas ‘Dwelling by the Weir’ was a gentle ramble across Warwickshire countryside, this latest record is a mountainous trek through the clouds of personal emotion. The result is not arduous at all but inviting. Introspection that serves to make the listener stop and reflect. Whether in ‘A Moment’, with its lilting desire for mindful escapism, or ‘Sorrow’, with its rich poetic metaphor (chief among them, “there’s only so much a magpie can take”), she invites us into an inner world that fans have rarely seen before. Her songwriting style and subsequent musicality draw comparisons with Gabrielle Aplin. ‘I Can Be Right for You’ certainly contains the same elongated vocals and swirling arrangements of piano and drums. Whilst ‘Love in a Park (on a Sunday Afternoon)’ reflects a positive diversion into pop-coated lyricism. This is not Ellie Gowers as we’ve known her. Neither is it a betrayal of her musical self. This is a progressive sound that fits the song’s setting perfectly. Just as the title track’s elevated strings and thumping drumbeats sit nicely alongside a narrative of strained relationship. The atmospheric Folk of contemporaries like Katherine Priddy ensures she never strays too far from her generic familiarity. ‘Testing the Water’ is testament to that. But this is Ellie Gowers with an added dimension. Another string to her bow. And ‘You, the Passenger’ definitely hits the spot.
You can order ‘You, the Passenger’, Ellie’s latest EP, via her BandCamp page here.
Featured Image (C) Ellie Gowers
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