Dream Pop from MOLTENO

London’s own celestial songstress MOLTENO has been building a creative universe that’s entirely her own. A visionary artist whose sound drifts somewhere between dream and gravity, she’s been described as “the love child of Björk and Bat For Lashes” and it’s not hard to see why. Her blend of alternative pop and immersive, otherworldly production has positioned her as one of the UK’s most spellbinding new voices on the rise. As a vocalist, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, MOLTENO conjures entire worlds out of sound.

From her bedroom studio, she shapes her cinematic sound drenched in atmosphere before expanding it with her collaborators. Her music floats between reality and imagination, pairing ethereal textures with real world emotion, where an intimate spark becomes a cosmic experience, reflecting her fascination with the connection between humanity and the universe. Her debut single “Hint” in 2018 marked the beginning of her musical odyssey, introducing listeners to the enchanting landscapes she now calls her artistic home.

Her first EP Element 1 in 2022 established her as a compelling figure in the alternative pop scene, a master of sonic storytelling whose songs shimmer with emotional context and visual imagination. 2024 saw her continue going from strength to strength with her well-received single “Clouds” and her sophomore EP, Element 2. Her world-building extends beyond music too, collaborating with fashion labels such as Longshaw Ward and Eirinn Hayhow to craft a visual identity unlike any other. Flowing fabrics, futuristic palettes and immersive aesthetics turn her performances into multi-sensory experiences that stand at the crossroads between art, fashion and sound.

Her live shows have become an extension of her artistic vision; captivating, hypnotic and atmospheric. Having performed at Camp Bestival, Fractalight Festival of Light, and Camden Assembly, as well as a sold-out headline show at The Love Shack, MOLTENO’s ability to bring her celestial soundscapes to life on stage has made her a standout performer in the London scene while appearances on Shoreditch FM and Soho Radio have only further amplified her rising star.

Now, MOLTENO returns with her first new material of the year with the brand new single titled “Treading Water,” the first taste of her forthcoming EP Element 3. The new song takes listeners into an aquatic dreamworld where love is both lifeline and undertow. With delicate vocals floating above hypnotic piano textures and sweeping orchestral layers, the track captures the tension between surrender and survival, devotion and detachment.

It’s a piece that moves like water, it’s fluid, powerful and subtly devastating, framed in a transportive dream pop sound. Set up by the flutter of chiming instrumental tones, MOLTENO’s graceful voice enters to stitch airy melodic threads into the absorbing musical fabric, layering up to add a gentle sense of motion before the arrangement builds around her vocals. With warm string textures and hazy bass notes, the track forms a misty and utterly engrossing listening experience from start to finish.

Reaching a quietly anthemic finale with the rustle of marching drums and stacks of drifting instrumentation, it’s a stunning display of the artist’s highly creative vision. Brimming with alluring melodic writing and wrapped in an enveloping arrangement, “Treading Water” sees MOLTENO open an exciting new chapter in spectacular fashion. With her upcoming Element 3 EP and a series of visuals on the horizon, we can’t wait to see what this groundbreaking artist has in store next.

Listen to Treading Water below