Look, we know we throw a lot of new music at you. We also know that not everyone who comes to this site has the time to be as involved with or informed about the local scene as maybe they’d like to be. So for those casual readers who either can’t or have no interest in keeping up with the parade of artists we try to cover, who may not know the difference between Bitter and Biters, we have created our TRIPLE THREAT feature. The premise is simple: Every Friday our writers will put their heads together and come up with three tracks that grabbed our attention over that week. Then we tell you why the songs are great and worth listening to. That’s it. Maybe some weeks we’ll have a guest commentator come in and share their favorites, but the format will always remain the same: three songs, some words, and we out. Enjoy.
Nelward – “Pots and Pans”
From the standalone single
Ever since I’ve been listening to his music, Elward has presented himself as an oddball absurdist, merging his love for chip music, video game soundtracks, and hip-hop into restlessly imaginative pop songs. More recently, however, the Atlanta songwriter and producer has been taking a more refined and even-handed approach, crafting songs that, while by no means straightforward and simple, still remain more streamlined and digestible than his previous output. Released earlier this week, “Pots & Pans” finds Elward channeling Beach Boys style harmonies into his “chip-hop” aesthetic, resulting in a breezy single that’s catchy and distinctive. It doesn’t quite get stuck in your head the same way “Apple Shampoo” did, but it’s refreshing to hear someone who understands that more accessible music doesn’t have to be any less inventive. – Guillermo Castro
More Info
Bandcamp: nelward.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @nelwardmusic
Instagram: @nelward64
SoundCloud: @nelward
Twitter: @nelward64
Youtube: @nelwardmusic
Stemlines – “Years Ago”
From the standalone single
The passing time terrifies me. We’ve talked about this, haven’t we? But chunks keep flying out of my hands, clandestine little wedges, out and gone before I realize I’ve lost them. Over and over, music sheds light on the slipping sands, seconds slow down, scattered thoughts ossify into crystal. I don’t know if Stemlines struggles to hold onto time in the same way, but “Years Ago” certainly casts a chronological spell. With a glass orb of shimmering specs, the fledgling singer and producer reaches across decades to stoke an old flame, and her gorgeous vocals echo over centuries, omnipresent, like sunlight that penetrates the ocean’s depths. Supposedly, Stemlines has been writing tracks for other folks’ voices until recently, but these aquamarine enchantments crystallize her own voice so utterly, that she easily transcends her acolyte status. She cites other R&B sorcerers like Little Dragon, Sampha, and Kelela; I also see the twilight zones of FKA Twigs in her opaline contours, and that’s all quite potent magic to wield. I firmly believe Stemlines could open a wormhole in the space-time continuum if she keeps up in this vein, and she’s confirmed an EP for later in the year, so we shall see if she can make up for lost time. – Lee Adcock
More Info>
Instagram: @stemlines
SoundCloud: @stemlines
Chelsea Shag – “Funk Love”
From the EP, Satellites
The newest single from Chelsea Shag is further proof there’s no limit to the singer-songwriter’s positive energy. The smooth, pool party vibe of “Funk Love” hits hard and just keeps bubbling. The springy hooks are all sunshine and rainbows, and the feeble adult contemporary melancholy present in some of Shag’s previous work is thankfully nowhere to be found. Instead, Shag shakes up the track with an ecstatic, ripping guitar solo, rousing the listener from an R&B reverie just when you’re quite sure you got pulled into a Target commercial and are now inexplicably excited about purchasing a bathroom rug. If your feet aren’t in the clouds by the end of this track, do you even like having fun? – Russell Rockwell
Satellites is out today via Madison Records.
Chelsea Shag will celebrate the release of Satellites tonight at Aisle 5 alongside Dappr who will deliver a special Shag remix set. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $18. All ages.
More Info
Web: chelseashag.com
Facebook: @chelseasound
Instagram: @chelseashag
SoundCloud: @chelseashag
Twitter: @ChelseaShag