Album Stream: Σtella – ‘Works For You’

Introduced by the Greek artist...

Σtella has always been creative, always wanted to express herself.

Born and raised in Greece, she initially focussed on visual arts, studying at Athens School of Fine Arts before becoming enraptured by music.

Traces of her previous discipline remains. Artful pop, Σtella fuses a sense of 60s classicism with an arch air, a sense of being removed by fully engrossed in what she's writing about.

New album 'Works For You' arrives on February 13th, and it's an enormously independent pop document that exists in its own world.

Able to celebrate introspection while still reaching outwards, 'Works For You' finds Σtella achieving a sense of balance – between pop and art, the buoyant melodies and cautious lyricism.

Check it out first on Clash, then read Σtella's introductory note below.

– – –

'Works For You' is my second album and it was put together in good times. I had a lot of fun making it, I knew I wanted things to sound sweet, mellow and simple, that’s what it’s all about.

The album kicks off with 'Come Collect', it’s a song I wrote almost entirely on my girlfriend’s iPad mini, you can actually hear her washing the dishes in the background as I was recording my voice! It’s a call.

Next up is 'Nest', this came out of my thoughts about the home I grew up in and all the things that bugged me whilst growing up. Some things change, but much like the “homes” we choose for ourselves as adults, sometimes they are not much different.

'Watch Me Dive' is one of my personal favourites of the album. This was when I was diving from real high to real low and that special someone was watching. 'One Toy' is all about my childhood and my new shoes! It’s me looking back and remembering just how rough kids can be, and then wondering what kind of people they are now, if they are still the same as grown-ups.

Fifth on the record is 'I’ll Never Be', a song about absence. It’s about the distance we have from things we were never close to, or never will be. Those relationships we failed to have and the experiences we'll never be a part of. That leads to 'Walk Like I Taught You', it’s me thinking ‘are we walking our own steps or somebody else’s?’ And if the answer’s yes, then just who is that guy?

On to the album’s title track, 'Works For You'. I think I wrote this while driving in my car really pissed off, thinking of someone and how things always work out her way, but then I wrote a song about it, so I guess in this case it worked out for me too!

I wrote “Way To Go” about this guy I see around in Athens sometimes. He often wears high heels and tights. He’s really pretty and tall and he dances like a motherf@#%er. Ninth up is 'Running Slow'. I remember this vividly, that summer I was dizzy all the time and had passed out quite a few times. It was a HOT summer.

Closing out the album is 'Story Telling', something that I was trying to conquer with this record and finally, the album’s closing track, “Piano Stool”. An ending about an ending, it was about a break up and what that made me. Break ups are hard.

– – –

'Works For You' will be released on February 13th.

Buy Clash Magazine

-
Join the Clash mailing list for up to the minute music, fashion and film news.