After spending the last few months hunkered down and tapped into a creative stream of literature and art, Stella Talpo returns with grooving R&B cut ‘QUICKSAND’ to take us further into the world of her debut album ‘MEDUSA’.
‘QUICKSAND’ tackles themes of depression and the passage of time, with Stella painting a vivid picture of sinking in sand and being pulled into the abyss. Based around an infectious drum groove, subtle vocal manipulations and a pumping 808-powered bass line, it packs an attitude-filled punch that mirrors her willingness to tackle her anxieties head on.
"I wanted to create a visual of hands coming out of the sand pulling me down, like being stuck in the mud, but with the important angle of being forcibly pulled down by forces other than oneself, like quicksand.”
Born in a small town in Italy, but now firmly rooted in South London by way of Singapore, Spain and America, Stella has released a trilogy of EPs in the lead up to her debut album. As a result of years of musical experimentation and growth with producer Lewis Moody, the project marks an injection of ethereal darkness and alt-pop sound design into Stella’s soulful R&B songwriting.
Her influences range from the leftfield electronics of Gazelle Twin and the cinematic soul of SAULT, through to engagement with contemporary feminist literature by the likes of Gillian Alban and Clarissa Pinkola Estés.
While you wait for her debut album, why not listen to her latest release below!
Photographer credit: Kadi Jatta