Stef Chura – “Spotted Gold”

When I wrote about Stef Chura last year she was just pumping out short form tapes and splits across a wealth of labels. Now, the Detroit songwriter has an album on the way from Urinal Cake Records and it’s packing up the heat of that first single “Slow Motion” with a few other gems, including the ’90s strummer “Spotted Gold.” The newest peek at her record, Messes, capitalizes on a lot of what endeared Chura to me in the first place; the shaggy, unassuming songwriting that’s potent, but not flashy, a stripped down arrangement and fizzing hooks. The real draw here, though, is Chura’s spring-loaded voice, quivering and flexing in ways that make it an invaluable asset. Chura’s been racking up a chorus of praise in the interim since “Slow Motion” came my way, and can’t say that it isn’t well deserved. Eking out in the wee hours of 2017, this is one you shouldn’t sleep on.