For fans of Maisie Peters’ soft, clever pop, or Gracie Abrams’ unassuming yet potent lyricism, Ellis King’s brand new EP All That Comes After follows hot on the heels of her debut, Better Luck. 

After Better Luck, Ellis knew she wanted to try something new. She had a lot to write about. In her own words, she speaks about this time in her life: “I had a big break-up, a big life event, and this EP was all me actually writing in real time, which I hadn’t really done before. Once the EP was written and I had some distance from it, I realised there were very distinct chapters in the tracklist – kind of like the stages of grief.”

The opening track, “Nosedive”, brings us directly to the beginning of this transient era in Ellis’s life. We follow her through the agonising process of a break-up, her voice resolved against chugging guitar. “He said my lustre made him feel small,” she sings, in a refrain that will feel all too familiar to those who’ve felt that they had to minimise their achievements so their partner wouldn’t feel insecure. 

“Emergency Contact” sees Ellis grappling with what she has set in motion with the breakup. She sings so delicately about her mixed feelings; that sad little administrative action of taking your ex off your emergency contact and replacing the number with your mum’s. “Hold My Breath” is where Ellis’s voice really shines – if you’re not getting it yet, this is where it hits. 

“fitymi” offers a more uptempo dimension to Ellis’ songwriting – but don’t be fooled. The lyrics are still as contemplative as ever. This song, a meditation on the idea of ‘fake it til you make it’, opens with stark, rhythmic piano, a real deviation towards pure pop, and a demonstration of Ellis’s interest in exploration and finding exactly the right sound for the message. 

The EP closer, “TheBlueprint”, is tender, romantic, and deeply special. This is the kind of song that will restore hope among former hopeless romantics; the idea that the perfect person will arrive once you’ve made it through the wringer. “Who was I to question the gift of the lesson?” Ellis sings, with that worldly wisdom she carries so easily.

Recommended For Fans Of:

Gracie Abrams, Lizzy McAlpine, Maisie Peters, Clairo, Holly Humberstone, Katelyn Tarver, Bre Kennedy, philine, Alisa Xayalith