PELA

Today, April 6th, hotly-tipped Brighton pairing PELA (aka singer/songwriter Hannah Coombes and producer/instrumentalist Olly Shelton) release the next piece in their mesmerising alt/electro-pop puzzle, ‘Heavy’, and unveil their much-anticipated debut EP, ‘Little Ceremonies’. As a project that’s been long in the making for the south coast starlets, this is another feather in the cap of the duo, further cemented by an upcoming EP launch show at Brighton’s Komedia Studio on Thursday 16th June. 

Described in their own words as “pure indie-pop catharsis”, ‘Heavy’ was co-written with much-loved British artist Liz Lawrence, and is the follow-up to February’s infinitely danceable ‘Tell Me’, which saw press and radio support from Dummy and Dan Alani (Reprezent). Always developing their surefire penchant for luscious, forward-thinking pop motifs, ‘Heavy’ branches out into a hypnotising bracket of its own, reflecting on “darkness and dissatisfaction” whilst simultaneously placing a focus on sounding uplifting and hopeful - it’s instantly connectable, bringing a down-to-earth sonic aesthetic that PELA have made their own.

It’s “kind of an anxious indie-pop” PELA say; an introspective glance into their deep artistic prowess, revealing their art to the world with all emotions on show and nothing to hide. Raw and relatable, those glistening vocals are tied together with expertly-moulded production and swathes of instrumentation, both live and digitised, allowing the deeper nature of ‘Heavy’ to take centre stage. A particular highlight is the vibrant horn section that accompanies the track in resounding fashion, as well as sumptuous ethereal breakdowns that echo out with “everything is red in this dead end”, further tying into the track’s commentary of how polarising social discourse and dialogue has become, increasingly populated with louder voices and egos, and how people get stuck in this path of communication. Here, the breakdown isn’t just an artistic tool, it’s a structure in which you can step back and analyse, something PELA do wonderfully through their music.

This latest single marks another step into a new cohesive structure and direction for PELA, a path that’s highlighted as they announce their debut EP, ‘Little Ceremonies’. Through these first two singles, they “confront frustration and anxiety, both personal and societal”, bringing other musicians and creatives on board along the way. The three songs that follow are “a way to transform these feelings”, and that’s what the conceptual identity of Little Ceremonies is all about - “how making everyday acts ceremonial and precious can be a way to find joy, peace and solace from anxiety and pain.” It’s the perfect showcase of PELA’s marked fluidity between genres, sonics and emotions, dipping into a plethora of elements across indie, pop, experimental and electronic soundscapes.

As their debut EP, this is their “first time bringing together a body of work that’s connected” remark PELA, breaking into pastures new after a run of successful singles in 2020. It “represents a period of transition and change for us, moving out of London - where we met and both lived for years - down to Brighton”, and that’s clear throughout - it’s been a transitional period for Coombes & Shelton, both in location and sound.

Speaking further on the project, PELA note that “it’s also a bridge between where our music was and where it’s going”; there’s a real sense of freedom in their writing, and they’re flourishing here. “Sonically, you can really hear this transition throughout the EP” they continue, “with the introduction of new instrumentation and elements of vocal improvisation”.

Now focusing on this forthcoming full body of work, they’ve teamed up with acclaimed singer/songwriter Liz Lawrence and “honorary PELA member” Dom Walker on sax, with in-demand producer and engineer Daniel Moyler co-producing and mixing the EP. This industry-leading input from both Lawrence and Moyler, mixed with the Brighton pairing’s empathetic glance into both societal and personal struggles, give the EP a professional touch that’s rarely seen this early on.

“We’re working in all the different corners of what we can do” PELA reveal, highlighting this in full via a series of one shot, live accompanying videos, filmed on location at the beautiful St Mary’s Church in Kemptown, Brighton. Directed by Grow Up Sad, it really showcases the passion and prowess PELA bring to their live performances.

With an eclectic slew of well-received singles already out, PELA have gained a wide variety of readily-earnt plaudits from their previous work, with support from a plethora of press, radio and tastemaker publications including BBC Radio 1, 1xtra, Notion, COLORS, 1883 Magazine, Dummy, John Kennedy (Radio X) and more, as well as being hailed by HMV in their ‘Next Big Thing’ feature.

They look set to continue and cement that trend with their debut EP and, after taking a break from releasing last year, the stage is now set for a scene-leading charge throughout 2022 - there’s plenty, plenty more on the horizon.