Music Review: “States” by Ellie Brétéché
“States” is a darkly fascinating track from artist Ellie Brétéché, hailing from Belfast. Riding on the pulses of throbbing electronic beats, the sophomore single is illusive and seductive while exploring the allure and downside of a toxic relationship. With a smoky and boldly sensuous soundscape, Brétéché tells a tale about craving, addiction, love, and heartbreak, diving deep into the tender and vulnerable space where longing and self-destruction co-exist.
“States” is ultimately atmospheric and sexy with lyrics that taste like a fresh-cut wound that bleeds into the electrifying soundscape and blurs the line between feelings and rationality. Her whispery voice is a type of haunting, that at times, feels like a confession, and other times, feels like a much-needed scream. There’s a lot of heart in “States,” though it’s impressionistic and melancholy in its artistic expression. As an artist, Brétéché’s use of the sonic palette is daring and refreshing. “States” is to be felt by the body through all six senses.
As the single tells a story about love’s complexity, musically, it mirrors the conflicts and crawling tension between the different shades of emotions. There’s sensibility in the darkly fierce single, but at the same time, there’s an unconscious distance. It’s dangerous, flirtatious, and contagious. It’s clear that the heavy guitars and flaming synths lead to somewhere dark but still, you’d want to follow it to the world’s end like a moth to a flame. “States,” as a single, shares that nuanced, compelling quality.
At the same time, the latest release from Brétéché is no doubt intense. It builds a sensuous world with sounds and vocals and immerses listeners into the space where its fierce energy is more cathartic than tearjerking. “States” finds strength in storytelling. It’s destined to be magnificent and drastic. A passionate and darkly fascinating force that’s untamed and wild.
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