Annabel (lee)
Photo: Francis A willey
The power of peace. Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's renowned poem of untimely death, Annabel (lee) muses on the refrain 'in a kingdom by the sea...' as she whispers from beneath the currents, 'I shall never leave you'. The duo project, from Los Angeles Based Sheila Ellis and Richard E, invokes the haunting classicism of Claude Debussy and Erik Satie, intermingled with the quiet folklore of Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell, tipped with the jazz stylings of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Billie Holiday.
Debut album, By The Sea… And Other Solitary Places, on Ninja Tune Records wins 2015 Dead Albatross Music Prize. Chosen from over 700 albums released in the UK and Eire by over 100 judges.
DJ FOOD - NINJA TUNE
This is pretty special, passed me by when it was released in April as a co-production between If Music and Ninja Tune. Annabel (lee) qualifies for a raft of clichés to be employed – haunting, fragile, beautiful, widescreen, string-laden – it sounds like a lot of things but still manages to sound unique. I’m not sure if the orchestration is sampled or has been played and put through processing to sound like it but there’s a vintage quality to it, not dissimilar to The Caretaker’s crackly 78’s drenched in reverb, although way cleaner. Think of Nina Simone‘s darker moments with Lou Rhodes‘ folkier ones but backed by an orchestra ripped from a 60s Bernard Herrmann score. I know nothing about her or the record’s origin but her voice is exquisite and I love it. I’ll never make a decent music reviewer, have a listen and make your own mind up. The sleeve is beautiful as well, some sort of distortion process added to old black and white photographs that perfectly match the audio they cover.
CROSSFADER Annabel (lee) – THE CLEANSING
Genre: Dark Jazz, Noir Pop Favorite Tracks: “Paris, Room 14,” “Scarlet One,” “See Her”
Music that defies solid description is progressively harder to come by these days, but unsung duo Annabel (lee) certainly carry this torch. Annabel (lee) make music that feels haunted—not that this is music that will shake or unsettle you, but rather that this is music that feels imbued with the lifeblood and memories of people, places, and music long brushed under the rug. The listener honestly couldn’t be faulted for initially believing that THE CLEANSING isn’t something along the lines of a release from The Caretaker, a carefully constructed collage of jazz and orchestral music from the early 20th century. This is in large part thanks to the staggeringly beautiful voice of frontwoman Sheila Ellis, so easily placing herself within the pantheon of the vocal jazz greats that she should be seen as a peer rather than an influencee: Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Dinah Washington, you name it… and Sade too! While the first half of the album consists of sparsely plucked acoustic guitar that aims to bring to mind the bossa nova, the latter half is what will interest more seasoned audience members, as layer upon layer of ghostly strings and vocal affectations are stacked up until you’re swept down the dusty corridors of a twilight home you’re just a little uneasy being in (“See Her”); in fact, maybe it is sort of like The Caretaker after all. [Thomas Seraydarian] Verdict: Recommend
AARON BYRD - KCRW MUSIC BLOG (89.9FM LOS ANGELES)
Richard E and Sheila Brown Ellis are partners in love and in art. I’ve been following this duo since I stumbled upon their music in 2015. The two go by Annabel (lee), a name inspired by an Edgar Allan Poe poem of the same name. “Annabel Lee” is the last complete poem written by Poe and was published immediately after his mysterious death. In classic Poe form, the poem is both spooky and sad; it details the death of a beautiful woman. Much like Poe’s poem, Annabel (lee)’s music sounds both haunting and pretty at the same time. Sheila’s voice is like no other and Annabel (lee)’s sound is truly unique in today’s musical landscape. Their compositions are lush and angelic, their arrangements are full of delicate melodies and perfectly placed space. I love these guys and their new album The Cleansing is exquisite! I highly encourage you to check it out, especially if you are looking for excellent music that sounds different from most of what you hear on the radio.
DAVID J – BAUHAUS/LOVE & ROCKETS
The quintessence of sophistication all couched in a pervasive hue of eerie lunar blue.
ANDREW JERVIS – BANDCAMP WEEKLY RADIO SHOW
Like a weird and wonderful dream where Ella, or Bessie, or Nina chill with Debussy, and get high listening to Boards of Canada b-sides.
PETE WIGGS - ST ETIENNE
Hi Richard - thanks for this look forward to listening! I loved your last album. I played Far on an upcoming edition of our Seance radio show
KING BRITT
First of all, you guys are one of my faves. I have played on my RedBull show before. One of the most innovative groups. I can't wait to listen as I travel to nyc today.
OSUNLADE
Yup, yup and yup… just beautiful!
DARREN BENJAMIN - DAZIKUE / BUGZ IN THE ATTIC
Listening to Annabel lee "The Cleansing" album and been waking daily to "Autumn Requiem" since I got it. This album is soulfully sublime.
JHELISA ANDERSON
Continued Support! i am now a stalking fan... ..Your production is everything, and Sheila's offerings Sarah Vaughan would smile approvingly in these days, something is still left to feed the people who need a special kinda nutrient :)...Nothing I’ve heard, and I really don’t get around much, but really your record is a forever record...it represents today with all of the honor of yesterday...I feel like yalls people are my people, whoever is attracted to this are the last living souls on this planet..
GIVEITASPIN - GREECE
When words fail, music speaks. One of the top albums of the year for me. Stay tuned as an interview will follow real soon once we get hands on the record! Warm strangeness and fleeting beauty!
By The Sea… And Other Solitary Places - Ninja Tune 2015
The Cleansing - Youngbloods Records 2017
From This Side EP - Youngbloods 2018
I Came Across A Dreamer EP - Younbloods 2018
BANDCAMP