Maria Somerville’s Luster Review: A Vivid and Vital Entry in the Shoegaze Revival
Irish musician Maria Somerville returns with her second album, Luster, a stunning blend of folk-tinged shoegaze that feels both timely and timeless. As TikTok fuels a shoegaze renaissance among alt teens and stations like NTS champion hazy underground pop, Somerville carves out a sound that’s uniquely her own — cool, atmospheric, and subtly sensual.
Tracks like “Mayfly” and “Violet” move with a loose, alluring rhythm that many experimental indie artists strive for but rarely achieve. Somerville’s simple yet evocative lyrics reflect a deep curiosity about the world: “Sometimes the sky / Invites me to truly be / Myself more than it could actually be,” she sings on “Trip,” a phrase that feels at once tentative and sure.
Sung in hushed tones against chilly, layered production, Luster reveals its depth upon closer listen. Harps glint like shattered glass, and baggy breakbeats echo as if recorded through distant bedroom walls. Beneath the shoegaze surface, Somerville weaves elements of pop, hymnal music, trip-hop, and experimental electronica, creating a textured and immersive soundscape.
Inspired by her native Connemara, Somerville occasionally layers field recordings into her work, such as the waves sampled on closing track “October Moon.” These details enhance the album’s portrayal of solitude’s expansive beauty — a lush symphony of small ideas painted in sunset tones.
Luster is no mere homage to shoegaze’s past. It’s a vivid, living testament to the genre’s evolving future, and a powerful reminder of Maria Somerville’s unique voice within it.
