Ella Raphael is blessed with an amazing voice; a woozy, bluesy, euphoric sound that’s filled with warmth and emotion. Brought up on Elvis, Ella Fitzgerald and Edith Piaf her travels in the UK, US, Australia and Spain have refined that eclectic mix, adding The Shirelles, Julee Cruise, Love, Serge Gainsbourg, Karen Dalton (to whom her lilting vocal occasionally recalls), ESG, Broadcast, Vashti Bunyan, Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes, the original masters of Tropicalia, exotic 50s guitars and the more esoteric sounds of The Beatles.
There is something free and uninhibited about her. Her music bridges alternate realities, if past to present or connection to disconnection. Wrapping it all with lush harmonies and psychedelic hymns, low- fi and freak folk.
“A timeless, Tropicália-tinged daydream” Gorilla vs Bear