Eora/Sydney-based singer-songwriter Ella Haber has wowed me with her new EP, Moments Between Dreams. It’s an exquisite collection of songs so that are both expertly crafted, yet so heartfelt.
It’s one of those EPs that transfixed me from the first atmospheric notes. The opening track “Hynogagic Bloom,” is so unique and dreamy, I felt like it cocooned me in a beautiful bubble. Its lyrics and gentle melody just wrapped me up and held me. I was in. It’s special, but so is every song on this EP. They explore relationships, from the paternal in “My Father” to the romantic “My Lover” and “Good For Me.” Ella’s voice is so striking and it can seemingly do anything. It’s got a great storyteller quality which is perfect for these revealing songs conceived in bedrooms on her piano. They’re often quiet, drawing you in and capturing you with their intimacy.
On writing this material in the summer of 2021-2022, Ella said “I needed to release myself from my own numbness, isolation, inactivity and loneliness induced by successive lockdowns, a long-term relationship coming to a close and a disconnection from my own body and heart. As soon as lockdown ended, I found new love, threw myself into activism and connected deeply with new friends for the first time in years. I felt a profound hope for the future, and I felt a restlessness to dive into the next chapter of my life with all senses open and alive with feeling.”
Moments Between Dreams is the sort of EP that deserves to be savoured. So make yourself a cup of tea. Grab a blanket. Turn it on. Take time to listen to every lyric, to catch every note. You can thank me later. You’ll find it on all the streaming services and you can buy a limited edition vinyl copy here. Ella will celebrate its release with a sold-out show supporting CYMANDE at Liberty Hall in Eora/Sydney on March 4.
Main photo credit: Thea Elder