Dove Ellis’s much-anticipated debut album, 'Blizzard', has finally arrived, following a relentless year of building a loyal fanbase and stacking up critical plaudits—not least of which included a run opening for new-gen indie titans Geese. Originally from Galway, Ireland, Ellis is an artist who has deliberately remained something of an enigma, allowing the music itself to speak volumes, and with this record, it’s delivering a powerful, soul-stirring sermon. If you’ve heard the buzz about his voice—and the inevitable, yet earned, comparisons to the late, great Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright—you’ll find 'Blizzard' is an eerily intimate showcase for that generational instrument.
Ellis, who also produced the album, and his supremely talented group of musicians, featuring everything from cello and viola to bleating saxophones and a button accordion, create an elaborate chamber-pop-folk architecture that feels both grand and fragile. This sonic palette prevents the Buckley comparisons from becoming a distraction, pushing Ellis closer to the experimental tendencies of artists like Black Country, New Road. The focus track, 'Heaven Has No Wings', captures this cinematic scale perfectly, an earthy, string-laden track that builds to a resounding emotional peak, echoing the expansive ambitions at the heart of Ellis’s world. But the record is at its most potent when the musical flourish acts as a counterpoint to the startlingly direct lyricism.
Take the early single ‘To The Sandals’, a reverberating acoustic and sax reverie about a failed marriage. Ellis’s poetry cuts through the dream-like state, as he advises, “So take the words of your tragic fight, and dance them down to that new club.” Even more compelling is ‘Love Is’, which, after a sombre piano opening, bounces into an anthemic declaration of what love isn't, pointedly stating it is “not the antidote to all your problems.” At just 22, the Galway native possesses a maturity that elevates his writing above the usual new artist fare. He trades in false bliss for an often-harsh, yet beautifully rendered, reality.
The momentum built by singles like the strummed electric jangle of ‘Pale Song’ and the devastatingly dynamic ‘When You Tie Your Hair Up’—which crashes to a finish after quietly considering the pain of holding on to someone—culminates in a cohesive, fully realised vision. The collection of songs on 'Blizzard' is dense with feeling, sounding meticulously crafted yet possessing a beautifully down-home, unadorned feel. It’s a remarkable achievement for a debut, balancing raw emotion with radio-ready hooks and an explorative spirit. Dove Ellis arrives with a tempest of talent, and this 'Blizzard' is only the beginning of a magnificent storm.
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