tunesday – first times, last times with ella ion
Ella Ion’s ‘Liminal Archive’.
Ahead of the release of her new EP, rad Adelaide/Tarntanya musician Ella Ion caught up with us for a chinwag to chat about Liminal Archive, as well as fill us in on a whole bunch of first times and last times.
Tell us about the first song you wrote for Liminal Archive. “Mess In Your Eyes” would have been the first song in the writing lineage. I still remember sitting at the piano in 2020 – I have the voice note in my phone of that very first line. “What is it, that thing, that makes you forget to try so hard”. During the pandemic-related isolation, I was really struggling with my mental health, my self-worth. I was sitting at the piano playing a progression and the first line of the song emerged as though asking myself, “What do I need to do to regain a sense of self right now?”
Years later, in 2025, and after a few occasional additions over the years, “Mess In Your Eyes” had evolved into a lullaby of sorts for a dear friend of mine who was having a difficult time with her identity. After years of emotional conditioning, those deep beliefs can blur your vision and cause you to be blind to the beauty around you and inside of you. I see the song as a reminder to reconnect with creativity and rediscover purpose to cut through the mess. It gives permission to be gentle with yourself, to strip away the noise, and move forward with clarity and conviction.
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What was the last song that was finished for the EP? I would say “Map” is likely the most recently written – however, the final addition to the EP was “My Love”. This song was written – like most of the others – in 2023, but I only decided to record it and add it to the Liminal Archive EP in the last couple of months. “My Love” had been sitting in my demos for a few years, and after playing it live at my very first NYC show in March, I was reminded of how much vulnerability it holds. So after returning home and being gifted a tape machine by my producer and dear friend, Stefan, I recorded it DIY while housesitting at my friends’ home in the beautiful Adelaide Hills on Kaurna land. Over two weeks, I sat by the fireplace with their cat Squiggle and my best friend Courtney as she made pretty flowers out of beads. Intermittently, I would spend hours on end in the sunroom figuring out how to use this 4-track. It was my first experience recording to tape by myself, and I wanted to be able to bring "My Love" to life from start to finish. I picked up a violin from my friend Ricky, and began teaching it to myself to record a part for the song.
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When was the first time you realised you wanted to be a musician? I always assumed music would be a huge part of my life. I think I probably did more singing than I did speaking as a child. If I could pinpoint a pivotal moment, though, it would be when I discovered the music of Rabbit Island aka Amber Fresh. I would’ve been around 15 when I found her music on YouTube, and her album 65% Hits I was my first ever purchase on Bandcamp. I remember she had written me a handwritten note in the envelope in response to whatever message I’d left her on Bandcamp, and I felt so connected to her and her music through that. It’s a very DIY album – the songs were sweet and weird and unlike anything else I’d heard. I think that feeling of knowing how much these quirky little recordings could move me made me sense that maybe I could do something similar and that it doesn’t have to be perfect or clean or professional in order for it to mean something to someone.
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When was the last time you performed live? The last couple times I performed live were actually in another project I play in – Ricky Albeck and The Belair Line Band. That’s always a good time. Ricky is my guitarist, and it’s nice to do that for one another and also to take the “band leader” hat off for a while and just rock up and play music for the sheer joy of it. My last Ella Ion show was a lovely intimate Sunday arvo show at the Gem Bar in Collingwood. Stefan Blair (Good Morning) supported solo – I played solo afterwards on my nylon. The show pulled such an intimate and quiet energy from the audience, and even the bar staff said they were pouring more gently than usual! I absolutely adore the Gem Bar – I practically can’t go to Melbourne/Naarm without visiting at least once or twice.
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What is the first record you loved as a kid? My parents’ friend – who also taught me to use GarageBand as a kid – gave me a burnt copy (don’t burn CDs, kids!) of Missundaztood by Pink. I feel like listening to that album in my formative years made me so much more emo than I needed to be – but I wouldn’t change it, it’s a brilliant album!
When was the last time you did something creative that wasn’t music? I spend a large chunk of my time drawing, collaging and doing graphic design stuff as I try to make all my own artworks and posters. The most recent project was actually the single artwork for “My Love” and also the cassette cover for the Liminal Archive EP itself! I finished them off pretty much on the day they were due. Things get done at the last minute when I decide to do them myself… But it’s really important for me to stay engaged in other creative pursuits and this is a way I can feed two birds with one hand, so to speak.
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When did you first know that you wanted to release Liminal Archive on cassette? The plan all came together really very recently! I always wanted these songs to live on an album together, but then I ended up releasing them so spread out, and I’ve got a whole separate album being finished off that I recorded in January. So as I was in the process of recording “My Love” on the tape machine, I thought, “Why not re-release everything from last year together with it on tape?” I have been getting really into cassettes, just as a listener. I am probably one of the few people who has a cassette player these days, but I find the process of putting the tape into the little slot, closing the door, rewinding it, clicking that play button and listening to the warbly warmth so romantic, playful and satisfying. It’s just beautiful to have music in such an organic and interactive physical form. I believe you appreciate it more when you have to actively, physically engage with it to put it on.
What is the last piece of physical music media that you’ve fallen in love with? You might’ve guessed – it’s a cassette. When I was in Brooklyn in March, I stumbled into some record store and picked up a tape of American Football’s self-titled album. I had it on repeat for weeks when I got home – between having to flip and rewind it, which I thoroughly enjoyed, of course!
Sink into Ella Ion’s Liminal Archive EP this-a-way. For more music chats, have a squiz at our chinwag with Baby Cool or take a gander at our chat with Loose Fit. Plus, sign up to our newsletter to stay in the loop.
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