Elleio: New Single 'Play Pretend'

MusicReviews

5 Mar

KATIE BROWN - 5 MAR 2021

Hot off the press today is “Play Pretend”, the latest track from Auckland-based artist Elleio (aka Ella Glannaz). Following on from electro-pop “Upbeat” as the second single from her forthcoming debut EP The Diary of a Fruit Loop, the hypnagogic and haunting track is, as Ella says, “a love letter to acting, playing a role, playing pretend.”

Ella’s music is a space for her to tell her stories and be unapologetically herself, and springs from a rich tapestry of the widely contrasting sceneries she experienced from growing up between French and Kiwi/Tongan families. A lover of film and visual art, Ella incorporates a strong visual element into her work, collaborating with artist Chelsea Ostler on all artwork and photoshoots.

Counting the likes of FKA Twigs and Lorde amongst those inspiring the lyrical direction of her music, in “Play Pretend” Ella sings “see, there I go, planting ideas in my head / They’re all just in my head / Foolish dream, and nobody will believe her / No wonder she’d rather play pretend.” Embedded between the lines is a sense of the cost of following a siren call that no-one else can hear.

Mixed by Alex Maggs, the track features Alex Hoare on cello and Keith Aaron on piano. Its minimal, stripped-back arrangement gives Ella’s beautifully eerie vocals plenty of space to cast their spell over the listener as they grow in intensity and meaning. With the addition of layered harmonies and interwoven melodies accompanied by the dynamic swell of the instrumentation, the song becomes a hypnotic siren call in and of itself: the lure of the “pretend” presents itself in Ella’s mesmerising voice, but is also countered at the same time by the need to follow a personal truth, despite the consequences. The idea of where the pretence actually lies is an intriguing one to consider: is it in ignoring the call of possibility, or in ignoring the rigidity of ‘rational’ societal expectations?

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In its stylistic shift from “Upbeat”, “Play Pretend” promises an intriguing debut EP from Elleio, which is due for release towards the middle of the year and will feature versions of all songs in both French and English. Watch this space!

Listen to the single below and find all streaming links here.

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