Ego Ella May’s debut album Honey For Wounds is an inspiring moment for healing, self-reflection and inner growth

Ego Ella May’s talents as a vocalist and songwriter cannot be understated. The South London-based artist has had quite the incredible few years, blossoming musically into one of the most ethereal, soulful and spiritually uplifting musicians in the city. Her 2019 anthology album So Far was simply incredible, with lavish, textured instrumentals that just sound incredibly soothing and a vocal performance that is delicate, ethereal and powerful. Her tone and energy she brings in her music is just mesmeric, so when she announced that she was releasing her debut album this month, I was naturally thrilled and excited. Now that Honey For Wounds is here, I can reassure you that it’s equally as musically potent, angelic and soulful as expected.

Her mesmeric new album is produced by the likes of Wu-Lu, Eun and Alfa Mist (among other amazing musicians) and with contributions from the likes of Joe Armon-Jones, Oscar Jerome, Ashley Henry and Andrew Ashong. The smooth and delicate tone of the opener “Alright” ft Theo Crocker and produced by Mini D is a slow-paced and reflective track with an incredible an atmospheric, synth-heavy atmosphere that sets the tone for the rest of the album. Lyrically and thematically, the album centers around love, whether that is love of self or love for others, and she’s able to bring poetic introspection to her music that brings an emotionally poignant sound. “Table For One,” produced by Wu-Lu is an exceptional track. Released as a single a while ago, I can’t count the amount of times I’ve listened to it, but the infectious grooves on this track, the stunning drums Eddie Hick and the keys and guitar leads from Joe Armon-Jones and Oscar Jerome just add to the texture and aura of the track. It’s essentially a breakup song, and her delicate and angelic vocals to me represent her coming to terms with it and embracing getting a table for one and truly embracing life on her own terms. The guitar leads on “How Long ‘Til We’re Home” produced by Sam Posener are incredible, as Ego Ella May ponders the state of the world, reflecting on disparities of wealth, wars and political corruption, questioning what home really means to her in a broken world. It’s another memorable moment on the album. “Song For Bobby” and “Girls Don’t Always Sing About Boys,” both produced by Eun are incredibly lush, with angelic synths and vocal performances that are truly stunning. The melody on the latter track is one of my favourites on the album, and the concept of it is fantastic. Her ability to talk about current issues around mental health, Grenfell, climate change with an open-minded and in delicate way is what makes her such an important voice. She doesn’t claim to know all the answers, but asking those questions is an important step in the right direction to get to grips with reality and understanding that the world around us and the realities people face is often bigger than us. The incredible guitar-grooves and drumming on “In The Morning”, produced by Tom Excell are incredible too, and is a more dynamic moment on the album. “Never Again (Maralisa Interlude)” features vocals from Maralisa and produced by Alfa Mist. I can feel pain in Ego Ella May’s voice as she sings “I don’t ever wanna feel that again”, and it makes for a powerful, reflecting moment on the album. The incredibly lush and textured beat on “Science,” produced by Alfa Mist is exceptional as the cacophony of synths and basslines throughout makes for an ethereal and almost overpowering moment. The dynamic drumming on “Tonight I’m Drowning”, produced by Wu-Lu is exceptional. The additional keys by Ashley Henry, guitar by Andrew Ashong, drums by Samuel Michnik, bass by Wu- Lu and trumpet by Theo Croker make for a lavish, textured and detailed instrumental, as Ego Ella May’s vocals sound like they are drowning within the instrumental. The phenomenal single “Give A Little” produced by Eun and Melo-Zed is another phenomenal moment on the album, as Theo Croker’s trumpet provides so much soul and depth to the groove and rhythm of the track. Ego Ella May’s angelic vocals here are mesmerising, capturing the aura and soul of her musical spirit so beautifully. The guitar-led by Wonky Logic on the closer “For Those Who Left” make for a reflective, soulful moment and a perfect way to close the album off.

The soulful, textured and lavish instrumentals throughout the 11 tracks provide a perfect backdrop for Ego Ella May’s soft, delicate and soothing voice. Honey For Wounds is a moment for healing, self-reflection and inner growth. She talks and sings with grace, embracing every imperfection and moving with the currents into a world full of love and inner peace. The energy and atmosphere of this album reflects that, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Congratulations on the release, it’s truly a special moment! Listen to it below and make sure you support!