Award winning singer-songwriter, Ella Fence, returns with a no nonsense, dark electropop EP, No Thank You. Comprising five tracks which show off Fence’s refined vocals in every way, No Thank You, is a welcome addition to Fence’s growing discography.
The EP opens with ‘Hurricane’. Combining dance sounds with dark electronica, ‘Hurricane’ is a powerful opening for the EP. ‘Am I the Devil or am I what you need?’ Fence asks of the listener. Her ability to effortlessly move between softer, shorter notes to longer, deeper tones is proof that she is a skilled performer. ‘Whatever we do we fill the room with grace / suck on my venom you know you want a taste,’ Fence sings, her voice melting over the beats and sounds like dark chocolate.
On ‘More to Life’, Fence takes her vocals from ‘Hurricane’ and weaves them through avant-pop with a dash of soft rock. It opens with Fence’s voice under a retro filter and a quiet piano whose notes promise more to come. Overall, the track's all consuming sounds and drums will remind you of Lorde’s ‘Yellow Flicker Beat’. During the chorus, Fence’s vocals will have you transcending as they levitate above the track and become almost haunting in their tone.
Whoever decided to place ‘This Was Supposed to Be My Freedom’ and ‘Move Too Slow’ next to each other on the tracklist is a genius. While every track perfectly captures a specific atmosphere, the contrasting sounds of ‘This Was Supposed to Be My Freedom and ‘Move Too Slow’ highlights Fence’s versatile artistry. While the former is darker and shows off Fence’s smoky tone and production, the latter is more upbeat with an almost old school Disney quality to it. The songs move us from a contemplative mood to more light hearted feelings as if we’re leaving a dark building to take a walk around the Gold Coast's sunlit streets.
‘Known Better’ closes out the EP with a bang. There’s drums, synths and a sound that is energetic but nostalgic at the same time. ‘Should’ve known better not to fight forever / should’ve known better not to be together’ Fence laments, unapologetic in her feelings. Here, Fence is raw and is making us think of our own relationships in all their beautifully imperfect glory.
All in all, No Thank You is an incredible body of work from Fence. It’s clear to hear that Fence doesn’t stick to trends. Like any artist, she follows her gut and expresses herself in a way that is authentically her. As an added bonus, we strongly believe that No Thank You is the perfect EP to convert non-indie music fans. So what are you waiting for? No Thank You is out now!
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