It’s Friday! Before the weekend, don’t forget to check out our new EP and album recommendations, with an emphasis on up and coming artists’ projects you might have missed. As usual, support what you like if you can: it really makes a difference for emerging musicians.

Ece Era – War on Innocence EP [debut]

Time Wharp – Spiro World

Σtella – Up and Away

Tirzah – Highgrade [Colourgrade remix album]

TDJ – TDJ123

Dylan Moon – Option Explore

Stella – Détends-toi EP [debut]

0171 – Welcome Back To My Channel EP

Nailah Hunter – Forest Dwelling

Barbie Bertisch – Prelude [debut]

A few weeks ago, Σtella announced her signing on Sub Pop with a delightful and laidback single, “Charmed.” The Athens-based singer-songwriter is now detailing the release of her brand new album: Up and Away was made in collaboration with artist and producer Tom Calvert aka Redinho and is described “as if it was a rare gem from the ’60s found in a box of records in Athens.” This vintage vibe is definitely palpable in the title track, a tale of consuming romance driven by blistering blasts of bouzouki, out today with an amazing self-directed video, animated by YOKANIMA and George Konto.

Two years after The Break, Σtella returns with good news. The Greek artist is now signed to Sub Pop and she also has a new album on the way. Alongside this exciting announcement, she has unveiled a laidback new track, “Charmed,” of which she stated: “We strive to charm, and to be charmed. Mirroring each other’s desires like birds-of-paradise in a tropical forest, dancing wildly to impress a potential mate. But despite our best efforts, things don’t always go as planned…” The track was produced by Redinho from Swet Shop Boys. Listen/support below.

Stella Chronopoulou, also known as Σtella, will release her first international album, The Break, in a few days only. So far, we’ve heard the singles “Samba,” which ended up in our Best Tracks of 2019, as well as “The Race,” “Forest,” and “Monster.” The Greek electronic pop artist has now unveiled a new self-directed video for the title track of the project; the song was actually a last-minute addition to the record as the artist explained to HighClouds in a video interview (watch below).

About this playful new offering, which features her friend Chris Scott dancing on a rooftop by the sea, she commented:

[su_quote]Breaks create miracles and have the power to change the world’s course. I found this location one day before the shoot and my good friend Chris was moving to Berlin on the next day. So everything happened really fast, – it had to – I loved the location which is on the south part of Athens (very close to where I grew up actually), an area by the sea called Glyfada.[/su_quote]

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Like every December, we close a year of music with our traditional lists. After the Best Albums and Best EPs and Mixtapes, we’re happy to unveil the songs that made 2019 according to our team. Are these the best releases of the year ? Maybe yes, maybe no. But for sure, they represent what we have loved over the 12 months.

2019 is also the end of a decade and, even if the blog did not exist 10 years ago, we will try to share our favourite tracks of this era during the first quarter of 2020.

Finally, I’d like to mention that HighClouds would not be the same without its team of dedicated writers. People don’t always realize it but running a blog and contributing, even only from time to time, requires a lot of energy on top of your full-time job. So thank you to each of you for this.

And now, here are the 100 tracks of 2019, as well as a huge Spotify playlist to go through our selection and discover some other amazing tracks that almost made the cut this year. Thank you for reading us and see you next decade!

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100. 0171 – “1000 Words”

99. Modern Feelings – “Culture”

98. STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

97. Alina Bea – “King of Nothing”

96. Lowly – “baglaens”

95. Yot Club – “no way !”

94. Helado Negro – “Running”

93. BEA1991 – “Did You Feel Me Slip Away?”

92. Deaton Chris Anthony, Clairo, Coco & Clair Clair – “RACECAR”

91. Sandy – “Signals”

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90. Common Holly – “You Dance”

89. Teen Body – “Validation”

88. SOPHIE, Doss – “Whole New World (Sophie and Doss remix)”

87. Emily Reo – “Ghosting”

86. Barrie – “Darjeeling”

85. Caroline Polachek – “Pang”

84. 박혜진 Park Hye Jin – “I DON’T CARE”

83. Kraków Loves Adana – “Follow The Voice”

82. Jessica Pratt – “Aeroplane”

81. Ariel – “Dream Team”

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80. Spellling – “Under The Sun”

79. MUNYA – “It’s All About You”

78. Von – “Dealer’s Gone”

77. Makthaverskan – “Demands”

76. SASSY 009 – “Maybe in the Summer”

75. Jessie Ware – “Adore You”

74. PAT – “Love Will Find a Way Home”

73. XUXA SANTAMARIA – “Rudos Del Mar”

72. Ascendant Vierge – “Influenceur”

71. Thom Yorke – “Dawn Chorus”

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70. Nilüfer Yanya – “Baby Blu”

69. Saeyers – “Cruise”

68. Quinn Christopher – “Erase Me”

67. The Dawdler – “Sylvie”

66. TR/ST – “Iris”

65. Jai Paul – “He”

64. Maria Somerville – “Brighter Days”

63. Morabeza Tobacco – “Orinoco”

62. Eartheater – “Fontanel”

61. Otha – “Tired and Sick”

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60. Eugenia Post Meridiem – “Anjos”

59. Vagabon – “Water Me Down”

58. Lala Lala, WHY? – “Siren 042”

57. Jackie Mendoza – “De Lejos”

56. Dorian Electra – “Flamboyant”

55. Crack Cloud – “The Next Fix”

54. Chromatics – “You’re No Good”

53. Hana Vu – “Order”

52. Magdalena Bay – “Only If You Want It”

51. Ebhoni – “TGM”

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50. Cherushii, Maria Minerva – “A Day Without You”

49. Maluca – “NYC Baby”

48. Tyler, The Creator – “EARFQUAKE”

47. JPEGMAFIA, Helena Deland – “Free The Frail”

46. Blue Hawaii – “Still I Miss U”

45. Oklou – “Forever”

44. Crumb – “Ghostride”

43. Ariana Grande – “NASA”

42. Weyes Blood – “Movies”

41. Pure Bathing Culture – “All Night”

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40. Beauty Queen – “The Only One”

39. Couch Prints – “Tell U”

38. 070 Shake – “Morrow”

37. JORDANN – “Café Speed”

36. Lizzo – “Juice”

35. 100 gecs – “Money Machine”

34. Hand Habits – “can’t calm down”

33. Jenny Hval – “Ashes to Ashes”

32. (Sandy) Alex G – “Gretel”

31. Arlo Parks – “Super Sad Generation”

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30. Grace Ives – “Anything”

29. Burial – “Claustro”

28. Sharon Van Etten – “Seventeen”

27. pronoun – “stay”

26. Requin Chagrin – “Sémaphore”

25. BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

24. Billie Eilish – “bad guy”

23. Sorry Girls – “One That You Want”

22. Japan, Man – “Stop Staring”

21. Drauve – “Haunted”

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20. Big Thief – “UFOF”

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19. MUNA – “Number One Fan”

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18. Claud – “Easy”

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17. Danny Brown – “Dirty Laundry”

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16. Angel Olsen – “Lark”

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15. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Want You In My Room”

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14. Caroline Polachek – “Door”

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13. Boy Harsher – “LA”

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12. Magdalena Bay – “Venice”

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11. Erika de Casier – “Do My thing”

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10. Men I Trust – “Numb”

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9. Charlotte Adigéry – “Paténipat”

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8. Σtella – “Samba”

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7. GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

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6. Lana Del Rey – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have”

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5. Aldous Harding – “The Barrel”

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4. Big Thief – “Not”

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3. Charli XCX, Christine and the Queens – “Gone”

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2. FKA twigs – “Cellophane”

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1. Clairo – “Bags”

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Athens-based indie-pop artist Stella Chronopoulou, also known as Σtella, is slowly but surely finishing work on her first international project. The Break was entirely self-produced at her home studio and will be available via Montreal-based label Arbutus. Already introduced by the amazing singles “Samba“, “The Race” and “Forest“, it will be one of the best records of the upcoming year for sure. As we still have a bit of time before January, she has now shared another song from the project: “Monster”. “Lock the monster or love the monster inside? I was never sure,” she said about this song that brims with a delightful retro and folkloric essence. Listen below.

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Despite already having two records under her belt, the buzz surrounding Greek artist Stella Chronopoulou AKA Σtella’s forthcoming album is entirely warranted as this is her first international release. Although this fact may suggest a change in sound, one that would perhaps be more “universal” or “commercial”, Σtella wisely sticks to what she knows and does best: drawing on her Greek heritage for inspiration.

In her latest single “Forest”, which follows up on the excellent and previously-released singles “Samba” and “The Race“, we hear the artist ponder the transitory nature of human existence. Of the track and its formation, she said: “‘Forest’ is about transformation. About how we’re constantly changing into something else, whether we realise it or not”.

These intentions are made abundantly clear from the visuals that accompany the track. As Σtella creates indie electro-pop goodness musically, the video sees flowers blooming, the sky turning from day to night and, at the very climax of the track, a transformation for Σtella from mere mortal to something angelic or mythic, as her silhouette form is pictured with wings. Her nods to classic Greek Mythology as well as the fact that the video was filmed around the Ancient Greek Temple of Poseidon, Parnitha Mountain and Park of Souls, create a stunning dichotomy between the past and the present, relating to the song’s overarching theme of evolution. This is not the first time that the artist embraces her Greek heritage, as the video of “The Race” was an ode to the Olympic spirit of Athens.

Sonically, Σtella masterfully echoes her video by transforming the song at regular intervals. Whilst the verses are typically catchy and led by jangly, summery and somehow folkloric guitars that have become a staple of her music, the chorus undergoes its own metamorphosis: where guitars and a throbbing drumbeat reigned over the verse, as the refrain hits, the song changes into a shimmering synth-led piece. Watch and pre-order via Bandcamp below.

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Before your well-deserved holiday break, we come up with a playlist loaded with good music only. We are aware that it’s not always easy to keep up with all the daily releases and posts. Therefore our team made everything easier just for you. Enjoy our 50 favourite songs of 2019 so far and don’t forget to follow our Spotify playlist to check future additions.

1 GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

2 BIG THIEF – “UFOF”

3 ARLO PARKS – “Super Sad Generation”

4 CRUMB – “Part III”

5 REQUIN CHAGRIN – “Sémaphore”

6 YOT CLUB – “No Way !”

7 CARLY RAE JEPSEN – “Julien”

8 070 SHAKE – “Morrow”

9 MEN I TRUST – “Numb”

10 TEEN BODY – “Validation”

11 HAND HABITS – Can’t Calm Down”

12 MARIA SOMERVILLE – “Brighter Days”

13 ERIKA DE CASIER – “Do My Thing”

14 SHARON VAN ETTEN – “Seventeen”

15 BEAUTY QUEEN – “The Only One”

16 MORABEZA TOBACCO – “Ally McBeal”

17 GRACE IVES – “Mirror”

18 BARRIE – “Darjeeling”

19 KEVIN ABSTRACT – “Georgia”

20 ALDOUS HARDING – “The Barrel”

21 EMILY REO – “Ghosting”

22 BOY HARSHER – “LA”

23 AUGUSTINE – “A Scent Of Lily”

24 PURE BATHING CULTURE – “All Night”

25 ΣTELLA – “Samba”

26 CELESTE – “Father’s Son”

27 CHARLOTTE ADIGERY – “High Lights”

28 LALA LALA, WHY? – “Siren 042”

29 PRONOUN – “Stay”

30 STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

31 LANA DEL REY – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have…”

32 JACKIE MENDOZA – “Mucho Más”

33 BASEBALL GREGG, PECAS, WILLIAM CORDUROY – “The Movies”

34 BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

35 GRACIE GRAY – “Morphine”

36 ROSALÍA, J BALVIN – “Con Altura”

37 WEYES BLOOD – “Movies”

38 HATCHIE – “Without A Blush”

39 PECAS – “T-Shirt”

40 FKA TWIGS – “Cellophane”

41 OMAR APPOLO – “Ashamed”

42 MAKTHAVERSKAN – “Demands”

43 SANDY (ALEX G) – “Gretel”

44 CLAUD – “Easy”

45 JAI PAUL – “He”

46 JAPAN, MAN – “Stop Staring”

47 THE DAWDLER – “Sylvie”

48 ARIEL – “Dream Team”

49 EUGENIA POST MERIDIEM – “Blue Noon”

50 0171 – “1000 Words”