Maria Palmqvist releases ‘Unlove Me’ album

Swedish singer and composer Maria Palmqvist makes music in a space where emotion and strength overlap, placing her voice at the centre of an expressive sonic world that balances intimacy with atmosphere and delicate restraint with moments of overwhelming intensity. Blending alternative pop with jazz improvisation and classical harmonies, she brings together acoustic instruments and electronic soundscapes to create compositions that move between genres, always guided by the emotional context of the words.

Her musical origins are matched by a strong background in composition and improvisation; she holds both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in improvisation from the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg, developing a style that allows her to flow between different musical expressions. Her work has extended beyond her own recordings, with compositions and arrangements written for larger ensembles including Bohuslän Big Band and Göteborg Wind Orchestra. Along the way, she’s collaborated with a diverse collection of artists and groups, among them Lena Willemark, Lindha Kallerdahl, Viva Vocal Ensemble, Lauri Kadalipp Ensemble, Walter Lang and Darkthrone Forest.

Her experience has also taken her beyond the recording studio and into a variety of live settings, with tours in Germany and the Faroe Islands, performing as a supporting act for Danish artist Pernille Rosendahl and appearing as a soloist on Swedish television’s Midsummer programme in 2019. Together with production company Stagebird, she also created the concert programme Nog Hade Jag Drömmar, further reflecting her ability to bring her musical ideas into different creative settings.

In 2021, Palmqvist began presenting her individual sonic vision through the release of her debut single, “Hope.” Two further singles followed before her first full-length record, Take My Yoke, arrived later that year and since then, she’s continued to develop her artistic identity through a series of releases, building towards her sophomore album, Unlove Me. The record gathers together themes of love, loss and the brief nature of existence, approaching these subjects with a mixture of melancholy and hope.

Across its eight songs, its arrangements bring intimate piano and strings into conversation with ethereal flutes and electric soundscapes, creating a setting in which the smallest gestures can carry as much impact as the most dramatic passages. Whispers give way to roaring screams, while carefully arranged instrumentation leaves room for Maria’s voice to expand and reveal the power of her lyrics. The album’s central ideas revolve around transience; the passage of time, the inevitability of change and the way love can offer both connection and uncertainty.

“Hymn for Haniel” opens the release with the drifting tones of ethereal flutes, crafting a dreamy atmosphere that glides with soothing melodies and transportive aesthetic. Title track “Unlove Me” follows with delicate piano notes as Maria’s alluring voice floats above with delicate melodies carrying heartfelt lyrics, casting a dazzling folk scene that gently expands with elegant strings, offering an utterly captivating listening experience from start to finish. “Mayfly” forms with muted piano tones as hushed vocals hover, creating an intimate soundscape with softly plucked string notes and tender vocal performance.

With “Darkness,” the patter of percussion sets a steady rhythmic flow as Maria’s expressive voice glides alongside stretched string textures, offering a hypnotic musical moment that swells with layers of rising instrumentation before simmering back down to a stripped back sound. “Ember” pairs a lilting rhythmic sway with blissful instrumental tones as beautiful vocals flicker above to deliver a highly affecting listening experience.

Her reflections extend into William Blake’s poem “Ah, Sunflower,” which brings soothing vocal delivery with quiet instrumental backing to present a stunning display of Maria’s timeless folk scene that gradually swirls with building vocals and sweeping tones. “Hope” arrives with bright piano plinks to set up an enticing indie folk outing brimming with delightful melodic writing and emotive vocals before “Outro” offers a delicate instrumental finale that concludes the album on a calming note. From start to finish, Unlove Me sees Maria Palmqvist deliver an enchanting musical experience that’s enjoyable, original and impossible not to be moved by and we can’t wait to see what she’s got in store next.

Listen to Unlove Me below