Elli Ingram - Bad Behaviour (Album)
Independent rising superstar Elli Ingram has released her long awaited album Bad Behaviour, available today through her own imprint, PINC (Promoting Independent Newcomers). She has also announced the dates for her Bad Behaviour Tour around the UK later this year.
Created with long-time collaborator Aston Rudi, Bad Behaviour is Elli’s second studio album, following her 2017 release Love You Really, and is a testament to her development as both an artist and individual. The 13-track project, recorded over the course of 4 years, displays an impressive level of vulnerability and maturity from Elli, whilst retaining her classic neo-soul sound, underlined with punchy hip-hop elements and live instrumentation.
The album kicks off with ‘No Plan B’, a smooth slow-jam produced by Maths Time Joy that sees Elli outline her all or nothing approach to her music career, crooning “I’m not giving up, I’m trying my luck” in her signature silky vocals. The track leads into ‘Poor Baby’, the song that initiated the concept for the Bad Behaviour album, powerfully exploring child sex abuse. Co-written and co-produced with Eg White, the slow, mournful production perfectly complements the lyrical content, with reverberating drum fills and a dark bassline, supported by thick backing vocals and strings.
The third track on the album ‘Growing Pains’, released in January of this year, is an emotional tune in which Elli reminisces about her early years and family life growing up, wishing she “could go back home and start it all again”. The track is underpinned by catchy rhodes chords and an infectious bassline that makes for a refreshing, uptempo ballad. The album then slows down for interlude ‘Gro Slo’, which opens with spoken vocals from Aston Rudi, going on to softly sing about the importance of taking life slowly and as it comes.
Track five is ‘Trouble’, a confident, feel-good soul track awash with jazzy saxophone lines and lush chords. Elli touches on the pains of being stuck in a loveless relationship, and the troubles of not being able to fully express herself. Next up is the latest single released from the album, ‘Fool’s Gold’, featuring UK R&B star Mahalia, co-written with Bibi Bourelly and co-produced with Felix Joseph. This track is a soft and sensual piece of R&B, with funky basslines, rich synth chords & modern drums, accompanied by Elli and Mahalia’s distinct yet elegant vocal melodies. The next track on the album is ‘Selfish’, an introspective, empowering tune that sees Elli speak on the pains of not loving herself, and how that can be reflected in a relationship. The relatively simple instrumentation of piano and strings marks a distinct change in timbre of the album, and highlights a distinct air of vulnerability from the talented singer.
This is followed by ‘Loving You (Is Losing Me)’, an upbeat soul track in which Elli’s vocals glide along a sunny instrumental, with eclectic percussion and a bouncy bassline that glue the track together. The happy feel of the track creates a beautiful contrast with Elli’s comments on how she’s “a fool for loving you”. Following on is ‘Interlou’, a stunning interlude dotted with filtered adlibs, that sees Elli fondly remember a previous relationship, tapping into a staggering feel of nostalgia. The next track is ‘Flowers’, the second single to be released in the lead up to the album. Produced by Charlie Hugall (Florence + The Machine) an empowering, confident anthem in which Elli tells a lover to “love me or leave me”, touching on the harsh ways a previous lover behaved.
The eleventh track on the album is ‘Heavy’, a pre-pandemic release that saw support from tastemakers such as CLASH Magazine and Mixtape Madness. The track features an infectiously catchy chorus, with optimistic lyrics and a funky bassline that come together to create an irresistible pop anthem. The penultimate track is the 2021 release ‘Strange How Good Things Change’, a relaxed, easy to listen to soul tune with layered backing vocals and jazzy accompaniments. The track shows off Elli’s delicate yet powerful tone, finished with a key change that highlights the impressive musicality of the young artist. Finally, comes title track ‘Bad Behaviour’, Elli’s first release from the album, a funky, feel-good track brimming with attitude. Another production by Charlie Hugall, the chorus is reinforced with a catchy, melodic loop played on trumpets and guitar, creating a summer hit that’s certain to stick in your head.