Up and Away

While unapologetically poppy at heart, there’s a redeeming musical depth and (there’s no other word for it but) ‘soul’ to these ten well-crafted tunes from Athens-based singer-songwriter ∑tella – that’s Stella with a sigma to her non-Greek friends. These now include British producer and multi-instrumentalist Tom Calvert (aka Redinho) who, after seeing her perform live, agreed to collaborate on this, her debut album on the Sub Pop label.

∑tella was raised on a diet of her parents’ 50s and 60s records, and it shows in the old-school catchiness and danceability of tracks like ‘Black and White’. While ‘Titanic’ will have you whistling along like it’s an old friend you’ve known since your school disco days. She makes some dutifully respectful nods to the Greek folk and popular music singers such as Nikos Gounaris that have influenced her along the way and there might even be a bit of Fleetwood Mac and Whitney Houston in there somewhere. What are the songs about? Well, as a famously grumpy but much revered protest singer once barked at an enquiring journalist: “They’re all about three minutes.” And you don’t really need to know much more than that. It’s pop but it’s good pop – listen and enjoy.