Ally Palmer dives deep with her most poignant and powerful work yet on sophomore album Take Me To The Water
Byron Bay-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and surfer Ally Palmer delivers a soul-stirring masterclass in vulnerability and growth on her second full-length album, Take Me To The Water — a richly textured, emotionally resonant journey set for release on Friday, 11 July 2025.
Building on the heartfelt intimacy of her 2022 debut Need You Around, Palmer returns with a collection that not only broadens her sonic palette but also opens a new chapter in her artistic evolution. Across ten tracks, she traverses grief, longing, hope, and renewal with poetic clarity and musical grace — blending folk, soul, jazz, and vintage pop into a cohesive, deeply human listening experience.
At the centre of the album lies its emotional anchor and focus single, “Take Me To The Water”, a breathtaking meditation on loss and love. Written in the raw aftermath of personal grief, the track captures that visceral moment of heartbreak — what Palmer describes as “like cold water hitting your skin.” Her voice, aching but controlled, is buoyed by minimalist piano and ambient textures that echo the stillness and shock of mourning. It's a moment of pure catharsis, and one of the most affecting pieces in Palmer’s catalogue to date.
The album's genius lies not just in its emotional depth, but in its thoughtful sequencing. The track’s companion piece, “Take Me To The Water (Outro)”, arrives like a sunrise after a storm. Modulating into a major key, the outro offers sonic release — a subtle but powerful symbol of letting go. Originally part of the same composition, the decision to split the two pieces was a bold yet rewarding choice, giving each emotional beat its own breathing room.
Opening track “Apple of My Eye” kicks things off with irresistible groove and retro charm. First penned as a riff in 2016, it resurfaced unexpectedly during the writing process and now shines as a soul-inflected jam about infatuation and memory. It’s a testament to Palmer’s musical instincts that a long-lost idea could return to feel so timely and true.
She shifts gears with “Old Friend”, a bittersweet ode to the evolution of friendships. With its gentle instrumentation and lyrical introspection, the track explores how relationships naturally drift and shift with time — a theme rarely captured with such grace and acceptance.
Mid-album highlight “A Change Is Coming Soon” blends aching vocals with a slow-burning build, culminating in a powerful, full-band crescendo. The song grapples with disillusionment and the yearning for transformation — both personal and collective. It’s a spiritual sibling to the social soul stylings of Michael Kiwanuka or Leon Bridges, echoing protest with tenderness.
Palmer's versatility shines on “I Wish”, a haunting piano-led ballad that swims in quiet yearning. Sparse yet emotionally dense, it reveals the aching spaces between words — a tribute to the things we long to say but often can’t. Recorded on a piano with a naturally melancholic timbre, the track is one of the album’s most intimate moments.
With “Never Stop Loving You”, Palmer pays tribute to her late grandmother through jazz-tinged nostalgia, evoking the warmth of Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole. “It felt like writing her a letter,” she reflects — and that loving intention radiates through every note.
Palmer returns to her roots — both literal and spiritual — on “Let The River”, a collaborative piece with local artist Dusty Boots. The earthy, acoustic track honours the healing power of nature and the deep connection both artists feel to a beloved local river. Their chemistry is palpable, adding a sense of groundedness to the album’s more introspective turns.
As the album nears its conclusion, “Stars Align” emerges as a gentle mantra of self-trust and direction. With acoustic layering that evokes long road trips and open landscapes, it’s a celebration of choosing your own path — and the quiet magic that unfolds when you do.
Closing track “Coming Back” is a luminous send-off — reflective, warm, and full of quiet resolve. A song that was years in the making, it captures that rare moment of clarity when the fog lifts and healing begins. It’s the perfect note to end on: not with grand gestures, but with acceptance and renewal.
Palmer’s career has been defined by slow, steady growth — and this album feels like a culmination of that patient unfolding. Since launching her solo journey in 2016, she’s earned acclaim with two EPs, a spot at Byron Bay Bluesfest, and viral moments like “Takin’ It Easy.” In 2022, her debut album marked her as one to watch, and by 2024, she’d already earned a feature in AMRAP’s Soul Searching editorial and clocked over 300,000 streams on her track “Running.” With Take Me To The Water, she doesn’t just meet those expectations — she surpasses them.
Drawing influence from the timeless stylings of Norah Jones, Dusty Springfield, Leon Bridges, and Feist, Palmer has crafted a sound that’s both familiar and wholly her own. These songs feel lived-in, yet fresh — each one a snapshot of a life unfolding in real time.
Take Me To The Water is not just an album — it’s an act of surrender. Of embracing the tides of change, loss, love, and becoming. It’s a body of work that invites listeners to feel deeply, to reflect, and perhaps to let go.
With this record, Ally Palmer proves herself not only as a skilled musician and songwriter, but as a storyteller unafraid to wade into the deep end. And what she brings back is extraordinary.
