Sinister darkness to lift the bleakest soul
Perversely sinister, 'Sweet Troubled Soul' comes equipped with its own emotional depth of darkness that oozes out of every beat. With one foot firmly on the dance floor, Stellastarr* simultaneously deliver a jealousy riddled glimpse at relationships with worryingly confusing lyrics such as "I want to suffer in your arms". Lead singer Shawn Christensen almost adopts a dual personality in his performance adding to the allure of the track. On the one hand his deep, rich voice seems akin to a lounge crooner at home only in a Vegas show whilst concurrently he is able to present the idea of a tormented soul who sings each line with a heavy dose of desperation and a clear pathos laden plea. Coupled with a forceful, funk induced beat, 'Sweet Troubled Soul' never wanes, maintaining a compelling grip throughout.
Disturbingly, Stellastarr* come across as a creditable rehash of the Human League, minus the horrendously cringe worthy haircuts of course. Perfecting the use of mix gender harmonies and encompassing a perfect concoction of funk, rock and to a certain degree pop, Stellastarr* have produced a dark edged tune with an inescapably catchy hook. With an adequate amount of "whoa"s mixed into the song, Stellastarr* succeed in engulfing you in the song, grabbing your attention. Sinister and dark it maybe, in the end there is no escaping the mesmerizing enchantment of 'Sweet Troubled Soul' as its funk encumbered tempo peculiarly uplifts even the bleakest mood.