THE dark lyrics of Happiness on Fire, belies Elk Bell’s sweet and demure appearance.

Five years in the making, the Mt Lawley local’s Republica d’fantAsia album is a mix of pure melody, brooding piano and sweet vocals, but it’s not all happy families.

“I’ll try to comfort you with a pillow on your face,” she sings in a haunting tone, a drum beat adding a sinister throb to her words.

“It shocks most people,” Bell, aka Tenille Elkins, tells the Herald.

“But sweet people will have dark thoughts sometimes…and this is more honest.”

• Elk Bell. Photo by Tamara Szep

The album was written not long before her marriage broke down.

“It was difficult to listen back to…it was like I was speaking to myself in a lot of it,” she says.

Bell’s first album Superfragilistic (2011) was a feature album on RTRfm and made it into the the US’ CMJ  top 200 chart.

Her latest album will be launched alongside local musician Hugh Jennings’ (Autopilot, End of Fashion) new solo album at the Fly By Night, Victoria Hall, High Street, Fremantle on Friday, September 29.

by JENNY D’ANGER