Ellaar is the moniker of Nacelle Stern and Sage Whetham, two electronic musicians who recently relocated to Rochester from their hometown of Buffalo. But “electronic” is more of a blanket term than a catch-all.
On its fourth album, “Not Quite.,” Ellaar easily bound from industrial noise and stoner goofs to punk rock and dance sequences. The 24-track double album took three years to make, time that allowed Stern and Whetham to create a sonic playground.
Even as the songs bounce, Ellaar’s lyrics tackle heavy themes of labor exploitation, gender dysphoria and white supremacist violence (through the lens of Buffalo’s May 2022 racist mass shooting at Tops).
Experimental pop duo 100 gecs (sic) is an obvious analog for Ellaar’s creative spirit. But while 100 gecs is powered by Cheeto crumbs and energy drinks, Ellaar’s impish streak feels borne from weed vapes and wah pedals.
NOT QUITE. by Ellaar
The juxtaposition of the mechanized “Hellfire” with the dope funk of “Resignation Letter” may induce whiplash, though the diversity strengthens “Not Quite.” into a confident statement that may sound best cherry-picked, lest you succumb to its chaotic coldness.
The lo-fi “Kim Gordon,” which feels plucked from MGMT, cleverly addresses dysphoria by invoking the now-split power couple behind Sonic Youth: “I wish I was Kim, but I feel like Thurston.” That Gordon was born in Rochester gives the song a wink.
Dozens of distinct sounds blend to make “Not Quite.” an infinite doom scroll for processing the horror, glee and absurdity of modern existence.
NOT QUITE. by Ellaar
The tenth song, “Hash,” begins with a radio snippet where an artist likens daily life to a dystopian hellscape. Five minutes later, guitar lines and broadcast frequencies cram into each other to create an aural version of that description.
“Not Quite.” is the sound of several browser tabs playing at once — harsh but unequivocally modern.
Patrick Hosken is an arts writer at CITY.