Sydney’s Maia Marsh has an impressive form, having been a session musician (lead guitar, bass, vocals) for a number of artists including Huck Hastings who has graced our pages before and Ainsley Farrell, Georgia Mulligan, Georgia Fair and Gloomie. In addition, she was a founding member of dream pop outfit Goodside as well as being a renowned visual artist. We are therefore very pleased to premiere her new solo single ‘Big Deal’ ahead of its general release tomorrow.
‘Big Deal’ captures Marsh’s dream pop background: it has an easy aquatic flow with Marsh’s distinctive vocals gliding over a deceptively simple instrumentation that slowly swells with added layers and flavours. The track ebbs and flows with a raw intensity. There is a low-fi percussive beat that also recalls a folk influence, with a restless, ambulant movement that becomes hypnotic and enchanting. I detect in the vocals and style a touch of P.J. Harvey: strong and resilient with a sense of defiance.
Marsh says of the track:
…the track is about self-empowerment, the realising of self worth and personal growth. To me the stark arrangement of the song translates to having nothing to hide behind, no excuses that can be made and owning every part of who you are.
Indeed, Marsh’s vocals are to the fore: yearning and haunting, mesmerising:
‘Big Deal’ is out tomorrow and can be pre-saved here. It is the third single off a forthcoming solo album, and Marsh is also a member of Motion Sickness, a new project that will be releasing material later this year. There’s a lot ahead for this supreme talent.
Marsh will be travelling south to play in Melbourne on 18 August supporting artist David Western – more details here.
