Ellur, Ella McNamara, a Halifax-based artist, has spent the last couple of years building a reputation for confessional and emotionally direct songwriting. Her singles ‘Dream Of Mine’ and ‘Pushing Away’ led into her debut album ‘At Home In My Mind’, and ‘False Start’ now sits as one of the newer additions to that growing catalogue, marking her first release to feature another artist on vocals.

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For Cai Alty, the collaboration is a step outside The Guest List, the band he formed in early 2021 with Angus Gilchrist, Sid Wallace, Leio Hunter and Tom Quigley. Since their self-titled debut EP, The Guest List have built a strong following around Manchester’s live circuit, known for lyrics that tackle subjects like male mental health and modern anxiety. Their EP ‘When The Lights Are Out’ leaned into similar themes, a sound and style that fans will likely recognise in his verses on ‘False Start’, along with their new releases such as ‘If Ever Your Devil Is Kind’.

Neither artist has said much publicly yet about how the collaboration came together, but the pairing makes sense on paper musically. Ellur’s music tends to sit somewhere between bedroom confession and soft pop, while Alty brings a more urgent and guitar-driven edge from his work with The Guest List. Early reactions online, including short clips shared around the song’s release, suggest fans are keen to hear how the two styles blend across a full track rather than just a feature verse.

The release comes at a busy point for both artists, with Ellur steadily rolling out singles ahead of her debut album, while The Guest List have kept up a heavy touring schedule. A feature collaboration like this often works as a way to reach a new audience without stepping away from the main project, and it’s a sign Alty is looking to stretch his range beyond the band and what fans are used to.

‘False Start’ is out now on streaming services, with the official music video also available on YouTube!