The velvet vocal range of the lead singer of The Marías has been referred to as “fit for ASMR gentle whispering,” and it’s not for nothing. There is something embedded in the larynx of said singer — who goes by the Jane Doe-like singular of the group’s handle — that encourages one to let tensions go the way of last night’s cluttered ashtrays, even as her lyrics trace the sticky edges of a frustrating love affair, as in new single “Clueless.”
For this new track, María invited producer-percussionist Josh Conway into the vocal booth. His utterances act as foil to her breathy coos and the two slip under and over each other in an appealing slumber party set to soul horns. If the result sounds seductive and copacetic, it is surely a reflection of the pair, who met soon after María traded Atlanta for Los Angeles, on a fateful night when she was performing a solo acoustic set at fabled rock deli Kibitz Room. Conway was working as sound guy. He came up with a line — accurate, if perhaps not comprehensive — about wanting to record with her in his studio. She acquiesced. The Marías grew from there, eventually integrating the talents of bassist Carter Lee, guitarist Jesse Perlman, and keyboardist Edward James. The pack released its first EP in last year’s Superclean, Vol. 1, a project that propelled them to an appearance at Coachella this year.
The group is currently finding fans in lounge lizards primed to set their slither to The Marías’ brand of retro coquetry. The release of “Clueless” is a road sign for the announcement of an additional string of tour dates with Mexican R&B fatale Girl Ultra, Triathalon and Toast. The Marías are currently turning up on stages across the country with Café Tacvba, and are preparing their next EP Superclean, Vol. II, set to drop on September 28.
Stream “Clueless” below: