Maria Lane releases new album

Brooklyn-based indie folk artist Maria Lane pairs emotion, poetic storytelling and a delicate sense of melody that’s been making an impression with listeners around the world. Originally from Orlando, Maria’s sound brings together the intimacy of traditional folk with the broad accessibility of pop, crafting songs through heartfelt lyricism and elegant production. It’s a winning formula that’s seen her rise as one of indie music’s most captivating emerging voices over the last few years.

Her ability to transform everyday experiences into moving musical reflections takes inspiration from artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, Lizzy McAlpine and Avril Lavigne, finding a fine balance between honesty and catchy hooks. Her songs often carry an intricate strength, tracing emotional journeys through love, heartbreak and the fragile beauty of connection. Maria first introduced her sound to the world in 2021 with her debut single “strangers again,” marking the start of what would quickly become an impressive creative voyage.

Her first full-length record, maybe i’ll feel better, arrived the following year to critical acclaim, showcasing her unique voice and lyrical sensitivity, a release that confirmed her status as a promising new storyteller within the indie scene. With more music shared through singles, her EP 35 days and her sophomore album Black and Blue, Maria has been building an incredible catalogue of artistic expression.

Now she brings us her most ambitious project to date with the release of her new ten-track album titled Kiss Me, I’m Haunted, a record that sees her venture further into the spheres of love, loss and the ghosts that accompany them. The record’s soundscape is equally cinematic and intimate, stitching together alternative, indie and folk stylings into a cohesive, immersive whole.

Set up by the eerie sweep of choral vocalisations on title track “kiss me, i’m haunted,” her vocal layers drift before the gentle plucks of acoustic guitar sets the song in motion. With mellow rhythmic sway, her stunning voice floats above the stripped back arrangement as she casts an ethereal folk pop soundscape that gradually builds with overlapping vocals and string textures.

“if you touch me” follows with laid back acoustic guitars and soft vocals that subtly quiver with emotion before the song rises with the intricate taps of percussion and shimmering instrumentation. On “without undressing me,” the crisp shuffle of drums, warm key tones and quiet bubble of synth forms a slick indie pop groove capped by graceful vocal performance to deliver a listening experience that’s catchy and dreamy throughout.

Other highlights on the record include songs like “NITM,” which leans into a rock aesthetic with the lightly crunching guitar riff and uptempo rhythm of the drums while Maria’s voice takes flight to serve up an infectious jam that’s truly impossible not to love. “held me after” floats into a delicate country-tinged soundscape where soothing instrumentation and airy slide guitar notes wrap around Maria’s elegant vocal performance.

Closing the album with “love me like it’s breathing,” Maria presents an absorbing finale of tender vocal layers and alluring instrumental tones that swells into a beat-driven indie folk sound to deliver a spectacular finale to her sensational new album. Vulnerable yet empowering, Kiss Me, I’m Haunted captures the delicate balance between melancholy and beauty, offering a soundtrack that reminds us that even our most haunted moments can lead to something profoundly beautiful.

Listen to Kiss Me, I’m Haunted below