stella in the clouds exile on earth2Beautifully haunting would be the best way to describe the music of Stella Haze, who works under the moniker Stella in the Clouds. Born in France and now living in New York City, Stella melds acoustic folk sounds with chamber arrangements to create something that very few others could have even conceived of. Then she throws in some percussion and bass to top it all off. The fact that she is a classically trained pianist (self-taught at guitar which is amazing because her playing is quite complex) comes through in classical phrasing of her songs. Her voice is waiflike and at times fragile sounding. Everywhere on the album, Stella has written and co-produced all of the songs as well as produced the cover art. She also plays multiple instruments such as guitars, bass, piano, keyboards and percussion. Standout tracks include “Puppeteer”, “Peace” and “Shaman”. Though depending on your mood or the day your favourite track on the album will change.