Description

tella makes her Sub Pop debut with the mesmerizing Up and Away, an old-school pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love. From the Greek folk-inflected get-go, were swept up in tellas world and its quite the captivating place to be. The singer-songwriter joined forces with artist and producer Tom Calvert (aka Redinho), and it was a match made in Athens; the results are heavenly. Tom caught one of tellas gigs on a visit to the city. He reached out, they started hanging out, and the pair soon clicked creatively. Both mention chemistry when asked about their collaboration and its clear, from what we hear, they had it in spades. The meld is seamless. tellas songs have always riffed on American and Greek mid-century pop but Up and Away doubles down on the vintage aesthetic. Tom says he styled the record as if it was a rare gem from the 60s found in a box of records in Athens, and tella notes she was ready for a more deeply Greek touch it felt comfortable and right, smoothly fusing with the pop. The bouzouki appears on a full five tracks played by Christos Skondras who, she says, was brilliant at improvising, while Sofia Labropoulou on the kanun brought an insane amount of dreaminess to the last two songs. Having these amazing musicians play for Up and Away I couldnt be more grateful. While not exclusively a confessional artist, tella is always intimate when she sings, its personal. She writes about things I feel passion for. Stories about me, about others, about all thats there in love and war. tella was in a very emotional state at the time, which came through in the lyrics and vocals. And its true, her honeyed voice layered in those unmistakable harmonies of hers thrillingly runs the gamut from tender to terse, by turns bracing and smitten, aching and forlorn. But its the lyrics that feel key. Across her output, tella has proven herself a strong storyteller, and Up and Away is no exception (the guise of the medieval bard she assumes on the cover is telling). Past releases have been studded with gem-like vignettes a diverse array of stories set tightly together to form non-linear narratives unified by emotion. Her latest feels singular in that it seems to trace a longer-form tale across songs, with each track escalating the records erotic arc. By the end of the album, Up and Aways core concerns are clear: the conflicting and conflicted emotions inherent in love, that live on in ways we cant always understand or control. Love is like this record: when its over, you still feel it for time to come.