Since the release of their critically acclaimed sophomore album Submarine in May of last year, The Marías have been nothing if not booked and busy. Between multiple tours across the United States, Europe, and Latin America, appearances on the cover of Rolling Stone Espanol, Jimmy Fallon, Camp Flog Gnaw, Coachella, and even a recently announced extension to the album’s initial tour, the release of their latest single “Back to Me” and its B-side, “Nobody New,” comes as a welcome surprise to fans both old and new hungry for more of the lush melodic psychedelia which only The Marías can provide.
In an interview with Stereogum last month, lead singer María Zardoya described “Back To Me” as a step towards something new, a world beyond the one which the band invited listeners into on Submarine. The song opens with blaring synths, softly punctuating Zardoya’s trademark silken vocals: “Promise I’m changing, back from the dark, but if I would see you I’d fall apart,” she sings as the song rises into its first chorus. Lyrically, “Back to Me” explores desperation, denial, heartbreak, and longing, the hypnotic guitar lines and reserved drumbeats allowing María’s desperate pleas for reconciliation to float aimlessly over synth pads and the song’s expansive, almost cinematic, production. Layered with shimmering synths, live percussion, and a groove-heavy bassline that drives the track forward, the production, handled by drummer Josh Conway, creates a satisfying push-and-pull quality that, as a listener, is seductive yet melancholic.
And while I enjoy the song and how it showcases the band’s growth in the past year, at times such as during the transition from the song’s intro to its first chorus, I found the sheer grandiosity of the production to be a bit distracting: the same issue I had with some tracks on Submarine. “Run your Mouth,” for example, although admittedly a very fun and catchy radio-esque pop anthem, would probably sound straight out of a Target commercial if not for María’s vocals. And while this issue can simply be boiled down to personal preference—and I recognize that sonic evolution is inevitable for any artist—as a longtime fan of the band, I’ve always found that The Marías shine the brightest in their more bare, intimate moments on songs such as 2019’s “Out for the Night - Live,” and their earlier work on Superclean volumes I and II.
On the flip side, “Nobody New” feels more introspective, subdued, and textural. It’s a song that unfurls slowly, almost hesitantly, with ample leg-room for silence and reflection. Where “Back to Me” is rhythmically confident, “Nobody New” drifts in a soft haze, allowing the emotions to speak more vulnerably. The instrumentation is minimalist; dreamy synth pads, subtle guitar plucks, and an echoing beat that fades in and out like waves on the shore. María sings in a near whisper, giving the lyrics a diary-like intimacy: “I see you in the mirror / but it’s just me looking through.” The song seems to address the ghost of a former love—or maybe the version of ourselves that only exists in the context of that love. The song is easily my favorite of the two, blending the more stripped-down instrumentals of their earlier work with more recent electronic influences and polished production.
All in all, though I may have my reservations about “Back to Me,” these singles serve as a powerful reintroduction to the band’s constantly evolving sound—one that still honors their roots in atmospheric soul-pop, but steps forward with greater emotional clarity and sonic experimentation.