Maria Somerville draws on folk forms alongside post-punk, traditional Irish motifs, starry eyed pop and hypnotic drones to create wholly original music that is borne of her roots in Connemara, Western Ireland. New album 'Luster' (4AD) (April 2025). “An artist whose music creates an atmosphere of timeless grace, music that seems to stand alone in its own space.” – Totally Dublin
toechter drew the attention with the release of their critically acclaimed debut album »Zephyr« in 2022 - dancing at the outer edges of what we would normally expect from music made with violin, viola, cello and voice. toechter’s second studio album »Epic Wonder« was released in February 2024 on the Berlin based label Morr Music. "Das Berliner Trio spielt intensiven Kammerpop, dessen lose Enden auf größere Zeitläufte verweisen. - Musikexpress
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Maria Somerville
Maria Somerville draws on folk forms alongside traditional Irish motifs, starry eyed pop, and hypnotic drones to create wholly original music that is borne of her roots in the West of Ireland. She comes on tour with her forthcoming second album and debut project on 4AD, Luster, due for release on April 2025. In celebration of the announcement, Somerville has also shared the album’s second single, ‘ Garden’, produced by Diego Herrera, aka Suzanne Kraft. The transportive track sinks her emotive siren-esque vocal stylings into a whirring, all-consuming merger of soaring f eedback, airy percussion, and nostalgic guitar chords reminiscent of classic 4AD. Its release is also accompanied by a music video directed by Anna Heisterkamp. Late last year, Somerville introduced Luster with her first new single in three years, ‘ Projections ’, a wistful and romantic shoegaze track drenched in longing via fuzzed-out bass and strummed guitar, and carried by Somerville’s hypnotic and tranquil vocal stylings. Both new tracks point toward the upcoming project’s haunting tranquillity and lush sonic backdrop.
Her self-released 2019 album All My People channeled the wilderness of the Irish landscape through dense, ethereal soundscapes, bare boned percussion, and a heady electronic undertow, interspersed with ghostly vocals that are ever present and all encompassing, like crystalline glints of sunshine peeking through dark stormy clouds. Since joining 4AD, she has released two covers as part of the label’s 40th anniversary Bills & Aches & Blues compilation, in addition to supporting label-mates Dry Cleaning on their EU tour. Her enigmatic and enthralling live show comes in both solo and band shape, born of her ties with the dynamic DIY scene that has emerged in Ireland over the past few years.
toechter
Die Musik des dänisch-deutschen Ensembles toechter entfaltet sich an den Schnittstellen von Klassik, Experimental-Pop und Elektronik derart überzeugend, dass der RollingStone das Ergebnis als “Future of Music” bezeichnet. Katrine Grarup Elbo, Lisa Marie Vogel und Marie-Claire Schlameus benutzen dabei ausschließlich analoge Klangquellen (wie Violine, Viola und Cello, Stimmen), die elektronisch bearbeitet werden.
toechters Gespür für Melodien und gleichzeitig ausgestaltete Klanglandschaften resultieren in einen ganz neuen Sound, den man als moderne Kammermusik bezeichnen könnte, aber eben auf sehr charakteristische Art. Laut Gasteliste.de ist den dreien schlicht vieles eingefallen, auf das Andere einfach noch nicht gekommen sind. Nachdem toechters Debütalbum Zephyr 2022 bereits mit dem Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik für den Bereich “Electronic und Experimental” ausgezeichnet wurde, folgte das Album Epic Wonder, das im Februar 2024 erschien. Live-Auftritte haben toechter bisher in Locations wie Silent Green, Wiener Volkstheater, Theater des Westens und Theater im Pfalzbau geführt sowie zur Fusion und zum Playground Festival in der Deutschen Oper Berlin.
- Website
- Spotify
- Bandcamp
- Interview on YouTube
- Epic Wonder - video
- Rolling Stone - "Future of Music"
- Musikexpress
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