Rising artist Isabel Maria has unveiled her latest single, “Holy Smokes!” This track represents a subtle left turn into new territory for Isabel, showcasing a sound thick with sonic imagery and tasteful synths. Following the success of her debut EP, “The Melodramatic Milers Club,” which featured a collection of simple and emotional acoustic works, this new song reveals a newfound bite to Isabel’s ever-growing sound.
Produced at Newcastle’s Blank Studios with Josh Ingledew, “Holy Smokes!” is the first of three singles funded by the prestigious Alan Hull award, which Isabel won in January. The song is a downtempo ballad, swimming with anthemic, bold vocals and intriguing motifs. It delves into the tumultuous nature of a relationship, painting a vivid picture backed by a cacophony of unconventional samples that provide listeners with a passenger-seat view of Isabel’s experiences.
“Holy Smokes!” holds a special significance for Isabel, as it emerged after a six-month battle with writer’s block. It represents a breakthrough in terms of rekindling her creativity. “A wise person once told me that anger is like fire – it only burns you if you hold it – so I suppose this song was my way of trying to let that fire go,” Isabel explains.
The production process for “Holy Smokes!” was described by Isabel as “wildly creative.” She and the team at Blank Studios embarked on strange experiments, incorporating elements like car indicators in place of drums and creating heavily layered vocal stacks. The result is a sonically rich and immersive experience that marks a new era in Isabel’s music.
