Hello My Name Is – Ella K Sol (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Kicking off with some great punky pop-rock chops in the form of The Great Mistake, you could be forgiven for thinking that Hello My Name Is… is just another wannabe punk girl moaning about life, love and having to tidy her bedroom. But although this opening salvo leans sonically towards such a vibe, those paying attention with immediately notice a much more clever lyrical take on such a style.

And now, having been reminded that you should never judge books by covers or indeed EP’s by their first eight bars, you are ready to appreciate what comes next. And what comes next is the total opposite. Time Capsule Picture is a cool, piano ballad, framed by poignant and plaintive string washes, the perfect showcase for Ella K Sol’s voice and with a lyrical maturity which belies her young age.

7’11 is an understated pop swipe at boy’s expectations and attitudes towards girls whilst scoring a few crucial points for female empowerment along the way and Hard To Be Good rounds things off in more upbeat, indie-pop style.

Hello My Name Is… covers the subjects and experiences that you expect from a 17-year-old artist. But, it does so with a lyrical maturity which might surprise you. A fantastic debut and one which makes you eager to hear what she does next, which is everything you can ask of a debut (mini) album, really.