PREMIERE | Ella Hue, "War" (Round)

The charged poetics and visions of Ella Hue; press photo courtesy of the artist.

Conflicts consume us. They exist within us, and all around us. The antiquated literary tropes of antagonists and protagonists are the diametrically opposed matter that propel the narratives of the sciences, the machines of unchecked political prowess, and all the things that flood the newsrooms, the fodder that lines the columns of yellowing front and back pages to the funny papers. Confrontational flashpoints fill the void of otherwise dull conversation, gearing up the gossip with high octane doses of petrol that ignite the interests of the attentive listener that paints volatile pictures and piques our interests away from the minutiae that permeates the ennui of mundanity. And as the guardrails of democracy, and decency are removed in the name of power, control of capital, and over the populous of the world; we warily seek the sort of securities that are backed by foundations stronger than the blood money of currency, and other such shortsighted monetary exchanges.

Offering nearly nine minutes of visceral deliverance from the continuous quagmires of the world (both at home and abroad) is the long anticipated visual from Ella Hue for “War” (Round). Featured off their fall 2023 release Magnet from Team Love, Hue unleashes a visual epic to echo into the chasms of the ages courtesy of Natasha Heaszl, Lee Ordway Maps, with choreography by Devin Fulton, and costume design by Molly Minot Hubley. The Ojai artist elevates the punk poetics in the face of power as an introspective endeavor to asses the wars that rage inside of us, to the ones that occur on a cellular level, the battles within our own home communities, to the even larger clashes that define the frail fabrics of domestic civics, alongside the inverted operas that transpire on the geopolitical stage of world theatre.

A song that moves forward ahead with a determined spirit, Ella dissects the various constructs of war in an epic poem. With rhythmic contributions from Wade Ryff and Sage Stoneman, Hue chants down the various guises of attrition that permeate our universes with the conviction and vindication of modernist protest music marching into the blazes of current day conflicts and calamities. The video follows Ella into the low-lit liminal spaces of drainage tunnels, to inhabiting the halls of storage unit centers. "War" (Round) strives to illuminate the myriad battles that are beyond comprehension, and countless, but deserving of being counted, and confronted in the name of resolution.

Ella Hue contemplating chords, choruses, and other inspired crafts; photographed by Natasha Heaszl.

Ella highlights through numerous exhibitions the varying fields we fight and observe fighting between entities, where our engagements exists, and where the disconnection lies. "War" (Round) in both stirring sounds, and visceral visions provides a riveting presentation of the inner and outer standoffs that consume the 2020s (and possibly in perpetuity). Ella makes a statement that strives to shine a light on the inciting incidents that immerse us into agitations that more often than not go unresolved (and worse, unidentified). "War" shines a pathway to peace through lyrical illuminations like a courageous lighthouse beacon.

Out in the wide yonder with Ella Hue; photographed by Maiwenn Raoult.

Ella Hue shared the following insights behind “War” Round):

My name is Ella Hue, here is my song “War (Round)”. It is delivered in one raw, unfiltered take. It feels more relevant than ever — as Los Angeles, my home — is still in flames, echoing the heat of our times. This piece explores the mirror between our inner and outer wars, the battles we inherit, create, and endure, and the way they shape who we are and who we might become. The war in me created this song — a march and meditation of sorts — reflecting on the things we carry, the things we compartmentalize, and the ways we confine ourselves to tunnels, funnels, and archives.

“War, meet me where I’m suffering. War, teach me how I’m not being. War, seek me out, uncover me.”

Pushing the praxis of punk to new levels with Ella Hue; photographed by Maiwenn Raoult.

There are moments when I feel synergy and strength yet only moments later I’m crawling. With every flame, every irony, and every question, the words cry out;

“War is me. War is you. War’s a few. War is two. War is one.”

These struggles are introduced and animated through a motley crew of characters: a cosmic prisoner enslaved by their multitudes, a humble joker who is satirical yet curious, a playful goofball searching for meaning in the infinite patterns—maps, clues, and symbols—of life. The subject is riddled by the tension between the grotesque and the gorgeous, our full spectrum of human experience. How do we move from conflict toward compassion? How do we dismantle the boundaries that confine us? How do we stop burning our resources and ourselves up? Drop by drop, we pay attention, we question…through reflection- we listen, we wonder, we imagine, we create.

Ella on stage; press photo courtesy of the artist.

I have always been interested in exploring how the experience of ‘war’ can thrive or hide within my body and without separation from my external landscapes. There is a War and it’s Me. I am curious to include myself into the conversation of War as a cultural and collective struggle. When I realize the simultaneities between my war, your war, their war, and our war, I am humbled by our collective conflicts.

Ella Hue armed with electric strings; photographed by Natasha Heaszl.

LYRICS:

WAR HAS NOT BEGUN. IT WAS NEVER FREE. WAR HAS NEVER WON, IT WAS ONLY ME. WAR WAS ALWAYS CHOOSING SOMEONE TO FEED. ANOTHER WAR WAS TORN FROM IT'S SEED. THE SEED ARRIVED FORM THE BELIEF...PULLING GRIEF FROM ITS TRUEST CHILD. THE FEELING WAS SWEET, TEETHING GREED---IT WAS WILD, IT WAS FAR FROM RELIEF. AGONY OF OBJECTION---BEING RIGHT TO SUFFER A WRONG PRAYER. WAR HAS NOT BEGUN. WAR HAS NEVER WON. WAR IS ALWAYS. WAR HAS BEGUN. WAR HAS ALWAYS WON. WAR, AS ALWAYS. WAR IS ALWAYS. WAR AS ALWAYS. WAR IS ALWAYS. WAR BEGAN. WAR HAS COME. WAR IS NOW. NOW ITS WAR. NOW IS WAR. NO MORE WAR. WAR HAS COME. WAR IS SUN. WAR IS WATER. WAR IS WARMER. MORE THAN WATER. WAR IS BOIL. WAR IS SOIL. WAR IS TURMOIL.WAR’S ON FIRE. WAR IS DESIRE. WAR IS A LIAR. WARS A CRIER. WAR WAS THEN, WAR IS NOW. MORE THAN EVER WAR IS NOW.WAR BEFORE. WAR A LORD. WAR A RING. WAR IS GREED. HYPOCRISY. WAR IS GREED. WAR IS GREED. WAR IS FEED. FEED THE WAR. WAR SORE. WAR TO COME. MORE INDEED. WAR; SEED. WAR A THIEF. WAR OF GRIEF. WAR RELIEF. WAR A CHIEF. WAR THE LEADER. LEAD THE WAR. MORE THAN EVER. SEED OF WAR. TO BE OF WAR. WAR; KILL. WAR, TO SPILL. WAR A KILLER. THRILL OF WAR. WAR;GUN. WARM GUN. WAR BLEED. WAR BLEED. WAR IS ALWAYS. WAR AS ALWAYS. WAR AS ALWAYS. WAR, HEAR ME OUT. WAR TERROR. CROWN OF MEAT. WARS A FLOWER. WARS THE STREET.HANDLE ME NOW. DOWNSTREAM. WARS IN BLEED AND BLOOD. WAR MEET ME WHERE I’M SUFFERING.WAR, TEACH ME HOW IM NOT BEING. WAR, SEEK ME OUT, UNCOVER ME. WAR, SPIT ON ME, DISCOVER ME.WAR WHY’S OF WAR. TRIALS OF WAR. WAR WILD IN BORROW. WAR FEIGNING IT’S SORROW. WAR SIGHS OF MORE.WAR CRIES OF SOARING. WAR IS MIGRATING. WAR IS BURSTING. WAR IS SKY MAKING CHEMICALS. HELL OF SPELLS. WARNING MY HYPOCRISY. WAR IS GUILT. WAR THAT TEACHES THE DOWNWARD SWORD. SPEAK TO ME.THE LIVER OF INTENSITY. FEEL WAR FEEL WAR KNEELING. WAR TANGLE TAINTED TYRANT.THIS SANCTIONED ISLAND. WAR CAME. WAR SAW. WAR NAMED MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS. MEETINGS TO SPEAK ABOUT LOOSE FAVORS. TALK ABOUT YOU TALK ABOUT YOU TALK ABOUT MORE WAR. WAR FELT. HEAR ME OUT. WAR IS THE DOUBT. WAR SPILT WAR SPILT. WAR A CHILD. WAR GUILT. WAR THE TIME OF IT ALL. WAR ROSE. WAR LIES. WAR CRIES.WAR, TELL ME THIS IS NOT WAR. TELL ME THIS IS NOT FELT. WAR FAKING FAME. WARE CLAIMS TO THE AUTHOR.WAR NAME TO THE SOFTER ONE. WAR SHAME. WAR CLAWS. WAR GIVES. WAR GIVES. WARS LIVING, MELTING, FEELING DEVIL EAR EYES.WAR OF DREAMS. WARS A FIRE. WAR A LIST. WAR DESIRE. WAR IS PISSED. WARS A KISS. WAR IS HIRED. WAR A SAINT. WAR BAIT. WAR TROUBLED CHOIR. WAR LOVE. WARS A DOVE. WARS NOT ABOVE. WARS THE GROUND. GROUND WAR. SEED THE WAR. WAR TILLS. WAR SPILLS. WAR MILLS. TAKES US DOWN. TURNS ME AROUND. WAR. FIGHTING FOR. TELL ME MORE.WAR TURN ME OUT. WAR HAVE ME THERE. WAR HAVE ME CARE. WARS ALWAYS THERE. WAR IS ME. WAR IS YOU. WARS A FEW. WAR IS TWO. WAR IS ONE. WAR IS DUE.LEAD ME TO. SETTLE WAR. METAL WAR. WAR IS SALT. WARS A CULT. WARS ASSAULT. WAR IS CALLING WAR BACK. WARS ON TRACK. WARS A HACK. WARS A SACK OF WHORES. WAR MATTER. WARS DISASTER. WAR COLLAPSE UPON WARS FAVORS. WARS A SAVIOR. WAR IS BREAKING HAZY WAR IS HIDING ALWAYS IS HERE. ALL WAYS.WAR IS NOW. WARS A COW. WAR IS SOMEHOW. WAR IS TETRIS. WARS A BLOB. WARS A MOB. WAR IS GOBBLING UP WAR. SMALLER WAR. WARS A GOBLIN. IS NOTHING, SOMETHING I AM GIVING. WAR IS THINKING. THINKING WAR IS ALLURING. WARS A GAY CRIME. WAR OF IDENTITY. WAR IS TIME. WARS BEHIND. WAR MORE HAZING WAR IS CHOOSING, USING, LOSING WAR—- IS FOUR, IS THREE, IS TWO, WAR IS ONE.WAR IS ORANGE. NOTHING RHYMES WITH WAR. WAR IS ONE OF A KIND. WAR IS COPY CATS AND MOCKING. WAR IS CONSUMPTIVE SELLERS FILLING CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS. WAR IS ROBBING AUTONOMY. WAR IS ROBBING SOVEREIGNTY. WAR IS FOLLOWING SHEEP NOT THINKING WAR IS A CRIME. WARS SUBLIMINAL MIND.WARS TRANSACTION. WAR OF HATE AND SEPARATION. WAR OF GATES. AND BALLS AND CHAINS. WARS DEVOTION. WAR NOT ATTAINED NOR A POTION. WARS THE OCEAN. WAR OF REMEDY AND HALLUCINATION. WAR OF DELUSION, HESITATION. WAR OF LACK. WAR OF SHAME OF GUILTS NAME. WAR OF GRACE. COULD BE A WAR OF SPACE. TENDED TO SEE THE WAR. BE THE WAR. LOVE THE HATE OF WAR SPORES MATING. WAR DEBATE, DELINEATE.WAR UNSATISFIED BY MORE WAR. WAR OF STATES AND BORDERS. WAR OF OWNERSHIP AND HOARDERS. WAR OF RELATIONSHIP AND SORTERS. WAR OF MATHEMATICS. WAR OF MATHEMATICIANS ORGANIZING QUARTERS. WARS A BRICK. WARS THE MORTAR, RIGA MORTIS-THE WHOLE RIGAMAROLE, THE HAIR AND THE TORTOISE-THE GROTESQUE, THE GORGEOUS BOREDOM, LOTUS HUMDRUM POSES. WAR WON’T CALL IT QUITS. WAR WON’T CALL IT QUITS. WAR A QUILTED BLANKET OF WHITE FLAGS, BLITZ! WAR DICHOTOMY. WAR OF BINARY. WAR A MORAL COMPASS. WAR OF TENSION AND INTEGRITY. WAR OF PLEASURE. WAR TO MEASURE LIMITS. WAR OF FEAR AND SILENCE.WARS A BORE. WAR OF GLORIFIED CHAMPIONSHIPS. WAR OF ENDINGS. WAR OF LINEAR SENDINGS. WAR SIZING SORES. WAR CULT. WARS ASSAULT. WAR IS SOLD. WAR IS CALLING WAR BACK. WAR OF WASHING DEVOTION. WAR OF OPTIONS AND NOTIONS. WAR OF IDEAS AND MOTIONS. WAR IS MOVEMENT DANCING TOWARDS…

Ella Hue’s “WAR” (ROUND) is available now via Team Love off of Magnet.