We admit, hat in hand, that we were a bit late to the Maria Somerville party. Her debut, the icily beautiful All My People, was initially released in 2019, but we weren’t fortunate enough to happen upon it until last year’s repress (cheers to the boomkat folks for the hot tip). Instantly hooked, September’s single return, the hushed, lived-in dreamscape of ’Projections’ – released on the iconic 4AD label – only served to further our interest.
Now fully engaged admirers, a morning perusal of our inbox brings welcome news of a sophomore release – Luster, also arriving courtesy of 4AD on April 25, a new teaser track in the form of ‘Garden’, and tour dates. ‘Garden’ adds a touch of grandeur in its production to Somerville’s normal quietude, but without sacrificing any intimacy in tone or feel, making it a nice compliment to ‘Projections’. It also ramps up our anticipation for the remainder of the album, which we can’t wait to hear.
From the press release accompanying the announcement: “Where All My People conveyed memories and melancholic longing with misty slowcore balladry, these 12 tracks show us an artist who’s more assured in the path her life has taken, and the person she’s become in the process. As she sings in ‘Trip’ – “I can see more clearly than I could before. I know now wat’s true for me.””
Luster is due April 25, courtesy of 4AD, and available for pre-order now:
https://4ad.com/news/19/2/2025/4addebutlusterout25thaprilstreamnewsinglegarden (label announcement and links to purchase physical copies)
https://mariasomerville.bandcamp.com/album/luster (including Bandcamp-exclusive test press)
https://monorailmusic.com/product/luster/?mc_cid=aecfc3f306&mc_eid=7a6a8ffe60 (monorail music exclusive edition)
Check out the video for ‘Garden’:
https://youtu.be/2sJyviKcJ0s?si=_vnkwE-JYJSPRYLP
Maria Somerville tour dates (unclear whether more will be added), dates and ticket links:
https://4ad.com/live#mariasomerville
Explore more of the vital 4AD records catalogue (both legacy and current):
