Maria Chiara Argirò

Freshly signed to US label Innovative Leisure (BADBADNOTGOOD, Nosaj Thing, Classixx, JIMMY EDGAR), Maria Chiara Argirò marks herself out as an exciting new name in electronic, jazz-fusion with the new single ‘Clouds’. The track arrives alongside an exquisitely shot performance video and news that Maria has been announced as main support for critically acclaimed jazz polymath Emma-Jean Thackray’s Feb/March tour. 

On ‘Clouds,’ Maria masterfully builds the song around a languorously arpeggiated chord sequence and broken drum beat that sit beneath ethereal vocals; perfectly evoking a sense of wonderment at passing moments. The accompanying performance video gives viewers a tantalising taste of what promises to be a great live show.

Maria explains that ‘Clouds’ is “a pure observation of the world I pictured where the clouds, sky and dreamy movement of the synths and vocal samples meet with the earth/roots of the electronic beat/drums and where all the elements evolve and come back, like in a circular movement. In order to create this effect and this mood, I needed to mix the acoustic drums with the electronic beats, having the trumpet improvising over the odd time signature and creating a circled sound effect on the chords and harmony of the prophet.”

Maria has been quietly weaving her way around the UK jazz, classical and electronic worlds since she moved to London from Rome 11 years ago. A pianist from the age of nine and a key player in the capital’s multi-national jazz scene, she’s lent her skills to indie band These New Puritans, lush jazz troupe Kinkajous and, more recently, collaborations with Jamie Leeming – their 2020 album Flow was nominated for one of the albums of the year in the Jazz Revelations Awards and was the Guardian’s jazz album of the month – and beat-driven duo Moonfish.

Maria recorded and self-produced ‘Clouds’ between her bedroom and studio with the precious help of her longtime collaborators and electronic producers, In a Sleeping Mood and mixing engineer Alex Killpartrick. And, crucially, she is singing for the first time, too – her airy, otherworldly vocals on ‘Clouds’ resemble Emiliana Torrini or a singer in a smoky, late-night club, alone under the spotlight on the stage.

When she was starting out in Rome, Maria was one of the very few women in jazz she could think of. “All my life I’ve been surrounded by men,” she says. “But when you’re 15, you don’t really think about being the only woman. Now I see many more women in jazz and electronic music but back then, it wasn’t the case at all.” She moved to London over a decade ago to immerse herself in the music scene; in Italy, she says, “jazz is still seen as the older generation’s music. I wanted to find my own path.”