Nella Cole’s “Tell Me You Love Me” is a song that presents an easy-going rhythm and generally mellow energy alongside a simple yet addictively effective melody line. The artist’s songwriting takes influence from the most accessible theme of all, that of relationships, and offers up her own experiences in a way that uses metaphor and reality in unison to move things.
“Tell Me You Love Me” is a beautiful song in itself, the melody and lyrics pour out the very moment you press play, so the sentiment of the song is never left to the imagination – the feeling and devotion of the songwriting are clear, and Nella Cole’s voice has the perfect tone and qualities to express the meaning and depth of this type of release with genuine passion.
The music builds throughout, fully kicking into action, surrounding you in hypnotic rhythm and warmth. The hook is incredibly memorable, a simple yet unquestionable earworm. What works particularly well about it is that the performance of these words ties in beautifully with the rhythm of the supporting music. The concept of up and down, around and around, is exactly what the hook and the instrumentation portray as the soundscape progresses. It’s a minimalist approach but the strength of this uniting of elements is what drives the song, and as stated, it makes for one that lingers in your mind long after listening.
The instrumentation surrounding the vocal features a simple soundscape, a well-chosen collection of chords, and initially, it’s just this and that instantly memorable melody. The whole thing brings a stylish touch of pop soundscape, magnifying that rise in intensity, and this is followed by the brilliantly fitting introduction of the string section.
The musical side of things is notably more unusual, the instrumentation has a certain organic nature to it, a bare yet bold and captivating beat, and the leading artist’s voice on top of all of this – coming through in a fairly simplistic, stop and start manner – all of which adds to the unpredictability, and helps the sound really stand tall as something new and unique.
The song has a sensational melody, without a doubt – hearing it once is remembering it for the long term, and hearing it twice is setting in stone the fact that this is smooth and satisfying as well. Nella Cole’s voice is stunning, flawlessly suited to this kind of songwriting and sound, and “Tell Me You Love Me” arrives as a welcome return for the artist.
