Under the clever moniker, Ex:Re (short for “Regarding ex”), over two years ago, Elena Tonra, the lead singer of indie-folk trio Daughter released her self-titled solo debut album (via Glassnote). Filled to the brim with tales of regrets and loneliness, Tonra masterfully managed to take these usual tropes of many breakup albums one step further. The 10-track album features a wide range of rough emotions, which are expressed in a refreshingly raw and overt way. Conceptually centered around Tonra’s lived experience just a year prior, the album chronicles her subsequent thoughts, inner turmoil, and coping mechanisms after the fact.
The London native trades in Daughter’s signature thundering drums and reverb-soaked vocals for a direct sound with stripped back arrangements that propel her voice to center stage. Taking inspiration from 90s downtempo records such as PJ Harvey’s Is This Desire? (1998) and Portishead’s Dummy (1994). Distant from each other in the mix, each instrument plays a vital role in highlighting her loneliness.
While she certainly has a bone to pick with her old flame, self-hatred is another common theme throughout the record as she attempts to redirect where she places this pinned up rage. Unable to return to her past self on the track, “Too Sad”, Tonra is overcome with anguish, as she sings about how the temporary paralysis she finds herself in is affecting her ability to move on.
Drunk alone in a hotel room, Tonra’s bitterness is apparent in songs like “The Dazzler”, where she sings, “I look like I’m 24 before I caught your coldness, God I’m gorgeous”. While her self-imposed isolation is quite sad, she is celebrating the fact that she finally feels safe in her own company. Craving freedom from daily responsibilities such as cleaning up or paying bills, Tonra raves about wanting to live in the hotel room forever, straddling the line between spirited playfulness and depressive lunacy.
The album’s only single, “Romance”, details Tonra’s experience with post-breakup intimacy. The example provided is the icy cold feeling she gets from involving herself with a stranger. On the song, Tonra wonders if romance will ever look the same after the conclusion of her relationship, declaring that “romance is dead and done”. Tonra laments the fact that there is no way for her to have an emotional connection without beginning to “open up and risk desire”.
“My Heart” closes the album exactly how it starts, with Tonra constantly taunted by memories of her ex. Addressing her former significant other as “him” through soft, delicate vocals, Tonra describes the dissolution of the relationship with razor-sharp accuracy cloaked in poetic grace, singing about how he’s “forgotten to love” and realizing that their love has perhaps run its course. The song’s peaceful nature implies that she has finally come to terms with what has happened. Her final message to this man and to the listener, is that he still has her heart.
Overall, Tonra’s deeply personal solo debut is definitely one that will resonate with many, though her blunt delivery can make for an intense listen. Two years later, Ex:Re stands as a haunting look into one of the most common human experiences and remains Tonra’s finest work to date.
To stream Ex:Re’s self-titled debut album, head over to Spotify, Tidal, or Apple Music. Have you listened to Ex:Re? Share your thoughts below in the comment section.
