Renowned NYC songwriter and producer Charlie Nieland—known for his work with artists like Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, Blondie, and Scissor Sisters—is set to release his deeply personal new album, Stories From The Borderlines, a dazzling and profound exploration of connection and severance. This set of songs is a kaleidoscope of styles, notes Nieland, who describes the meticulously crafted tracks as a geography of intention, passionately mining for light and truth in a darkening world. This new work, featuring drummer Billy Loose, rapper spiritchild, and Joe McGinty (The Psychedelic Furs), showcases a visceral blend of post-punk, glam, dream pop, and progressive rock, a sound one might describe as cinematic soundscapes and poignant songs that are a masterclass in emotional texture.
Nieland explains that the songs tell stories of growing up, of how we got severed, and how we connect, allowing him to burrow into each idea over several years filled with personal drama to create an experience that shifts with each listen. The album includes the new single Shame, which has been released with a firecracker video directed by Hypnodoll and explores the obsessive lust and repulsion weaponized against the queer community. This follows the epic lead track Win featuring spiritchild and The Ocean Understands EP, highlighting Nieland’s continued evolution as an artist who uses sweeping melodies and restless rhythms to deliver an immersive journey.
Nieland’s extensive backstory includes being awarded a Gold record (UK) for his production work on Blondie’s Greatest Hits Sight & Sound and achieving a Top 10 Billboard Dance Chart Position with Debbie Harry’s single Two Times Blue, which he co-wrote and produced. His commitment to creating culture is resistance, as he believes imagination is more real than what can be measured, making Stories From The Borderlines not just an album but an act of imaginative resistance that marks the start of a bold new chapter.