Elsee Bee – Blind Side (EP Review)

In today’s review, we will be welcoming an artist’s forage into releasing her first EP, titled ‘Blind Side’. The artist is none other than Cairo-based singer-songwriter Claire Williams, artistically known as Elsee Bee. Her work is a dreamy indie-rock journey drifting through the soft glow of naivety and the quiet ache of lessons unlearned.

This body of work is rooted in honesty and a touch of fearless self-exposure. It is about the choices we make when we know better, and the beauty that sometimes lives inside our mistakes. Claire states that “If we don’t shrug off doubt and take a risk, what we end up with may not feel worthwhile at all.”

The album was tracked at Ghost Records and Loom Studio in Dokki, Cairo. It didn’t spring into existence by just one entity. In fact, Blind Side came to life through a circle of trusted collaborators, including:

Khaled Agaty, shaping each track with warm acoustic textures, rhythmic lines, and subtle harmonies, nurturing the songs from seedlings to full bloom.

Wael Khedr, whose Spanish guitar adds a timeless touch on tracks like ‘Dead End’, ‘Twice’, and ‘Stardust and Pollen’.

Aly Qalioubi, who shifted the track ‘Dead End’ into an ambient, dream-like space.

and Sammy Sayed, an ever-encouraging ear who helped tweak, trim and polish each song to stand out and linger with the listener.

Some notable tracks include the hit song ‘Stardust and Pollen’, an intimate indie rock track that is somewhat dreamy, with gentle strumming, warm strings, vulnerable vocals and touches of ambient synths that eventually pull the listener into another world. It’s described by Claire as a track that’s for anyone who’s thrown caution to the wind, followed their impulse and dived headfirst into a relationship without allowing past experiences to spoil the moment.

In addition, the EP’s title is no accident. Blind ‘Side’ is the first ‘side’ of many yet to come, with each EP spotlighting a new side of Elsee Bee. It could be wild, soft, inside, each bearing its own unique sound amplified with fresh collaborators.

The bottom line is that this EP is for anyone who’s ever been blindsided by love, life or their own heart, and wouldn’t trade that bruised sweetness for the safety of high walls. Claire adds on that she would still want to keep much of her naivety, and that she doesn’t want to build impenetrable walls from past pain, as it would only lead to loneliness. She wills herself to be brave enough to believe that endings can be different next time.

Honestly, the raw and unfiltered nature of the EP really made me think of the frank cadence of Lana del Rey’s earlier works under Lizzy Grant or even with ‘Video Games’. There’s a sorrowfulness with the chords and the melodies chosen, making it where you can definitely connect with the record emotionally. True to the description of the EP, there are acoustic segments as well as mastering techniques that help elevate the experience, even though the background drumming may sway towards indie rock. The orchestral nature of some of the arrangements as well as the guitars used give it a more baroque pop and even tap into a bit of a Latin flair.

The atmosphere within the EP is very, very consistent. It definitely explores emotion under the umbrella it can encompass. One moment a track can be broody, and the next moment, reminiscent of a more upbeat version of Norah Jones’ discography. In some ways, it is also extremely heartfelt. I think it also has notes of a Disney soundtrack, without it necessarily sounding too cheesy.

The downsides of this EP, though, I feel like it can only resonate with people that have a natural inclination to this genre, even though it tried to venture to a more ‘genre-hopping’ sound. I genuinely do think that there is an easy fix to this, and that is to fix the vocal techniques in the pre-chorus- they sound a bit raw, compared to the wonderful vocal techniques employed in the choruses of these songs. Otherwise, it is an extremely stellar showcase of emotions and a furnished, polished soundscape that takes you into another world. All of these songs are very all-encompassing and engaging, making you feel like you’re part of the soundscape as you’re listening to it. That in turn, can be explained by the wonderful mastering shown throughout the EP.

I’d say this is a great EP for a debut attempt. I hope you get to hear more that Elsee Bee has to offer!

SCORE/Good: Blind Side presents itself as a wonderful and genuine tapestry of emotion, as the main vocalist Elsee Bee marks her stance with her thoughtful and provoking tracks. It does show an effort to connect other soundscapes by infusing techniques from other genres, making it so that it can have some crossover appeal.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

The EP will be available on all streaming platforms on the 2nd of October. Make sure you stay connected with Elsee Bee.

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