solomaria’s Debut EP Is the Kind of Beautiful Secret Music Fans Dream of Discovering
1. Dry Your Eyes
2. The Fall
3. Pink Elephant
4. Crumbled
5. Willow [Gold]
6. 222
There are records that demand your attention with sheer volume, and then there are records that quietly pull you closer until you realize you’ve been holding your breath for the last twenty minutes. The as-yet-untitled six-song EP from solomaria belongs firmly in the latter category. It’s a collection built on atmosphere, restraint, and emotional honesty—a stunning introduction from an artist whose résumé already spans Latin Grammy nominations, acclaimed film scores, and collaborations with everyone from AURORA to Cuco, yet somehow still feels like one of contemporary music’s best-kept secrets.
That cinematic background is immediately apparent. Every song feels carefully framed, every arrangement purposeful, every silence just as important as the notes surrounding it. But unlike many producers making the leap into solo artistry, solomaria never lets technical brilliance overshadow genuine emotion. These songs breathe. They ache. They linger long after they’ve ended.
Opening track “Dry Your Eyes” is an inspired curtain-raiser. Dream-pop textures drift effortlessly beneath ethereal vocals that seem to hover somewhere between memory and reality. The production is immaculate without ever feeling sterile, allowing all of the little imperfections and human moments to remain intact. There are shades of Portishead’s smoky melancholy, flashes of Moby’s ambient sensibilities, and echoes of Beth Orton’s intimate delivery, but none of it feels derivative. Written as “an ode to the quiet presence of those we love, and the invisible ways they continue shaping our world after they’re gone,” the song captures grief not as devastation, but as a gentle companion that quietly reshapes our lives. It’s haunting, comforting, and immediately leaves you wanting more.
Then comes “The Fall,” and suddenly the EP shifts gears without losing its emotional momentum. An intimate acoustic guitar places the listener inches away from solomaria’s voice, allowing every crack, breath, and soaring note to land with devastating effect. Her vocal performance is remarkable, carrying the confessional intimacy of Gracie Abrams while possessing the melodic clarity and accessibility that made Taylor Swift a generational songwriter.
Lyrically, “The Fall” wrestles with identity, expectation, faith, and mortality without ever sounding overly poetic for poetry’s sake. Lines about being “split into thirds who I am, who I was, who I should be” and “dueling with God trying to hold onto thunder” carry the weight of someone attempting to reconcile ambition with self-acceptance. The repeated confession—”the truth is I’m falling”—becomes less a surrender than an admission of shared humanity. It’s one of those rare songs that feels intensely personal while somehow speaking for everyone.
If there is a centerpiece to the EP, however, it may well be “Pink Elephant.” Delicate pizzicato strings dance beneath an elegant melody that recalls Andrew Bird’s chamber-pop sophistication, while the lush orchestration hints at Sufjan Stevens’ gift for turning melancholy into something almost sacred. There is even a touch of Annie Lennox’s emotional poise in the vocal phrasing. The imagery of washing fear into the sea and burying memories beneath sand transforms heartbreak into something almost mythological. The arrangement never overplays its hand, instead allowing each string flourish and vocal harmony to bloom naturally. It’s breathtaking.
“Crumbled” reveals yet another side of solomaria’s artistry. Trading acoustic warmth for darker electronic textures, the song leans into shadowy keyboards reminiscent of Thom Yorke’s solo work and the unsettling atmosphere of Radiohead’s more experimental catalog. There’s even a pulse of Massive Attack lurking beneath the surface. The whispered vocal delivery creates an almost claustrophobic intimacy as the arrangement steadily tightens around it, building tension without ever resorting to obvious crescendos. It’s a reminder that solomaria isn’t confined to one sonic palette—she simply understands how to serve each song.
On “Willow [Gold],” she returns to the folk-inspired storytelling hinted at earlier, delivering what feels like the missing bridge between Swift’s Folklore and an original fairy tale. The string arrangements are exquisite, simultaneously haunting and comforting, wrapping themselves around the melody like mist rolling through an ancient forest. The song radiates patience and confidence, never rushing toward a payoff because it understands the journey is the reward.
Closing track “222” strips everything back to its essence. Beginning with little more than acoustic guitar and voice, it leaves nowhere to hide—and solomaria doesn’t need anywhere to hide. Every subtle fret noise, every breath, every moment of silence becomes part of the composition. As delicate harmonies slowly emerge alongside gentle washes of reverb, the song opens like sunrise after a long night. The inclusion of birdsong and natural ambience reinforces the feeling that the listener has wandered into a private moment rather than a carefully constructed recording. It’s an astonishing finale that feels less like an ending than the first page of a much larger story.
Perhaps what makes this EP so compelling is how effortlessly it balances intimacy with ambition. Maria Vertiz has spent years composing for film and collaborating with internationally celebrated artists, and that experience is evident in every carefully layered arrangement. Yet nothing here feels calculated for commercial appeal or algorithmic playlists. Instead, solomaria has created a body of work that trusts listeners to slow down, lean in, and truly listen.
Comparisons are inevitable—there are flashes of Bon Iver’s emotional vulnerability, Lorde’s understated confidence, Portishead’s atmosphere, Sufjan Stevens’ orchestral grace, and Taylor Swift’s storytelling—but solomaria ultimately arrives somewhere entirely her own. She isn’t chasing trends; she’s building worlds.
If this EP is our introduction to solomaria as a solo artist, it’s an extraordinary one. Few debut collections arrive this fully realized, this emotionally resonant, or this sonically adventurous. It feels less like discovering a promising newcomer than uncovering an artist who has quietly been mastering her craft for years and has finally found the perfect voice to tell her own stories.
Sometimes the best records don’t announce themselves with fireworks. They simply find their way into your life—and refuse to leave. This is one of them. Highly recommended and quite possibly our pick for release of the year. Blown away.
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