Hailing from Amsterdam, Stella are a self-describing, “soft grunge” band. The quartet formed at the back-end of 2018, and outside of the stages of their home city, haven’t yet shared their music with the world. Today we’re premiering their debut release, in the shape of a live video for their track, Satisfied.

Satisfied is a delightful introduction to Stella’s music, a sound full of both warmth and just a touch of melancholy. At the forefront is vocalist Tosca van der Waals’ easy vocal, which has the same laid back feel of Julia Jacklin, while still being able to wring feeling out of her every conflicted word, “biting on my cheek, I’m not happy, I’m satisfied with you”.

While it’s the vocals that instantly draw you in, musically too this is a hugely impressive first offering, the gorgeous bowed electric-bass creating flourishes of musical texture somewhere between strings and woodwind, as steady drums provide a base atop which the twin guitar lines entwine and part like a pair of dancers. The track builds to an almost bluesy-crescendo, not a million miles away from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, before collapsing to a quiet drifting outro. There seems to be something in the water over in Amsterdam at the minute, and Stella might just be the city’s most exciting new band.

Click HERE for more information on Stella.