It just now occurs to me that I could have posted some Maria Somerville when I was looking for some geo-topical content this Summer while I was in Dublin, but saving it for now – with her North American tour now underway – works, too.
Somerville released her second album Luster back in April and really, you couldn’t ask for a more appropriate home for it than 4AD, where her ghostly, ambient work takes its spiritual inspiration. It sounds nothing like what else you’d call shoegaze from young artists of the day – no nods to grunge or hardcore here, thanks – but draws a truer, straighter line to the forebears of the genre.
There’s been a fair bit of press around this record; here’s some links:
Tone Glow 182: Maria Somerville @ Tone Glow
Maria Somerville’s Luster is a love letter to people and place @ Crack
Into The Wild: Maria Somerville Interviewed @ Clash Magazine
Interview: Maria Somerville on ‘Luster’ and Nature @ New Noise Magazine
Q&A: Maria Somerville is Exploring Evolution with Brand New Single “Garden” @ The Luna Collective
Maria Somerville on Luster, an Irish dream-pop masterpiece @ The Fader
MARIA SOMERVILLE – Interview @ Bedroom Disco
Gear Talk: Maria Somerville @ The Vinyl Factory
The hazy and hypnotic “Projections” came out almost a year ago, and would be the first preview of Luster although details of the album itself wouldn’t come until this past February.
