Review: 'Ella Malone' EP - Arkayla

Arkayla - Ella Malone EP

Released 11th October 2024

PR80 Recordings

Arkayla are a 4-piece indie band from Manchester comprised of Cal Blakebrough (vocals/guitar), Finely Rubens (guitar), Theo Savage (bass) & Patrick Hanbury (drums), who formed back in 2020. Pulling on inspiration from The Strokes & The Smiths, they seamlessly blend the past a present with ease.

They’ve garnered support from BBC6Music on their debut single ‘Calling Time’ - and they have also been awarded ‘Track of The Week’ on XS Manchester for their track ‘Falling Down’. With a string of live shows planned for 2025, it seems that there are no signs of slowing down.

The title track from the EP opens with a nostalgia driven riff, reminiscent of The Beatles, and poetic lyricism from Cal which takes you through the life of a woman who is struggling to find her place in the world. Poignant and catchy in equal measures.

This continues through the rest of the release. The lyricism follows similar themes of love, loss and discovery. Unmistakably catchy, track after track, a feast for the ears. This EP has been in my rotation since it’s release and I’ll tell you now, it’s going nowhere.

My personal favourite on the EP is ‘Lost In A Valentine’ - it’s Mancunian at its heart. A real under-the-radar indie classic. It reminds me of discovering bands like The Courteeners, listening to them in repeat on my iPod nano on the walk to and from school.

On the subject of The Courteeners, Radio XS Manchester recently had the band on for a stripped back acoustic session, during which they cover the brilliant ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ in their signature style. They also tease a new release - ‘Fortune Teller’ but unfortunately they haven’t given us a release date for this yet. So keep your ears to the ground. You can watch the performance below;

Arkayla’s sold-out headline show at Manchester’s Deaf Institute is set to be a big one on the 22nd February. Followed by dates in Nottingham, Sheffield, Liverpool and London. You can also catch them supporting the Lathums on tour for 4 dates in Stoke-on-Trent, Sheffield, Nottingham & Manchester. With them playing on my doorstep, I might have to cop a ticket and go and see these guys play live.

Instagram: @arkaylaband