We recently had the honour of reviewing Mary Ella Hunt‘s emotive and intricate single, Changed, so when we heard that the rising star had just released her album, Dandelion Wisher, we couldn’t wait to experience it!
The record opens with Changed itself, which as a reminder, Mary Ella Hunt tells us, “Changed means so many more things to me now than it did when I first wrote it. The version of me that wrote this song was in a space of numbing, of needing to speak my emotions but not wanting to fully feel them.” We deeply connect with the authenticity that the artist conveys with the album opener, and the celestial, soft rock energy that she exudes.
Next up is Need A Minute, where we learn more about the background of the artist, being born on Monday and her self-reflective nature. The message of the song conveys that it’s time for the rising artist to put herself first as she sings, “I just need a minute to take a breath and think about myself instead of everyone that I tried to help…”
Philosophically, we love what Mary Ella Hunt shares and the cohesive tapestry of sound that she delivers with her atmospheric sonic architecture, fused perfectly with her breathy and intricate vocals. The coming of age nature of Need A Minute is much appreciated, as you cannot truly love another until you have love, time and respect for yourself, and we are grateful to the artist from Nashville for sharing this message of empowerment with us.
I Just Don’t Want You Seeing This follows, with a cerebral synth energy and elegant, signature acoustic guitar as Mary shares her reservations with situational prose. We love the vocal design of the track, and the percussion textures towards the end of the opus, which remind us of why fans of Lana Del Rey would certainly be able to connect with Mary’s work!
“Sometimes I wonder if God gives a shit about rose coloured glasses his kids like to wear around, they make the whole world look so sickly and sweet…”, sings our protagonist as she takes on a more introspective and metaphorical approach with Sometimes I Wonder. We love that we can hear the artist smile as she sings, showcasing her charisma and charm. What is great about the record is how all of the tracks fit together perfectly, sonically and lyrically, and we can only imagine how iconic it would be to experience the album as a live experience.
The Signs is next, and sets the tone with astral vocal riffs and textures, as the star shares a more narrative based style of storytelling, taking us on an experiential journey. The vocal harmonies are incredible, and the hummed hooks are super catchy! We love the message of the song, which encourages us to take time for ourselves as she sings, “Since that day I slowed my pace…”
The title track of the album, Dandelion Wisher is next. A mesmerising guitar performance entices us as Mary sings, “I forgot about my phone sometimes, unless I was taking pictures…” with reference to being present in the moment. This really taps into the artist’s sound healer energy, as she shares a more meditative soundscape with the song. Dandelion Wisher zooms in on the star’s U.K. based muse and serves as a reality check as she sings, “We don’t get what we want sometimes…”
Finally, we experience the Stripped 432Hz version of Changed, which is tuned to the frequency of the heart, something that modern pop has strayed from with the 440Hz default, so we can really feel the universal energy with this edit of the song, again referencing Mary Ella Hunt‘s wider ambition as a conscious artist and sound healer!
Dandelion Wisher is out now on all platforms, and speaking on her art and connection with source, Mary Ella Hunt leaves us with words of wisdom as she says, “The Universe will always give you direction. It wants you to be the most free you can be, but It’ll still love you when you act like you don’t hear It.”