Uma

Catalonian-born vocalist/producer Uma is pleased to confirm that her forthcoming Luther mixtape will arrive in September via Slow Dance Recordings. The announcement is accompanied by new single ‘Rain on Dancing Men’. Luther sees Uma channelling her own life experiences into the narrative framework of a timeless romantic comedy, with all six tracks written and recorded in Uma’s home studio in the rural town of Catalunya, near Barcelona.

“Luther is all about romance. The romance of losing something and finding yourself,” the songwriter says of her forthcoming collection. “Based on a romcom fairytale, each track explores the different stages of romance: infatuation, the first fight, forgiveness, understanding, lust and finally the happy ending”.

The most mature work that Uma has created to date, the artist’s eclectic genre pallet is as audible as ever on Luther. Touches of seductive R&B, melodic pop and the fully realised songcraft of indie’s finest are all present throughout, now curated with a deeper sense of narrative purpose than ever before. ‘Rain on Dancing Men’ follows last month’s hypnotic teaser track ‘Nothing Without You’ - Listen here.

Having relocated to York from her Spanish village to study contemporary classical music, Uma – who is of Thai/British descent - parted ways with the genre in the pursuit of more “free” avenues through which to exercise her creativity. “If you’re gonna do something that’s creative and unpredictable and has no financial security, then you might as well enjoy it,” she reasoned.

Eschewing traditional genre boundaries in favour of freedom has remained something of a theme throughout Uma’s output, with stripped-back Spanish folk, electronic beats and sweet, earworm melodies all leaving fingerprints upon the artist’s treasure chest of tracks.

Also central to her ethos is collaboration. Uma’s Can Obert home studio (or ‘open house’, in English) has grown into a hub of creative activity since her mother purchased the then-dilapidated building decades ago. Artists including Puma Blue, Nilüfer Yanya and Rosie Lowe have spent time at Can Obert, with Uma contributing writing credits to the latter’s new album during her stay. Today, Can Obert is a haven where artists from all backgrounds can sleep, eat and, crucially, make music in the sleepy Catalan countryside.