Following the critical acclaim of 2024’s ‘Something in the Room She Moves’, Los Angeles composer and art-pop auteur Julia Holter returns with ‘Materia’.
Holter’s musical world has always thrived on fluid, atmospheric electronic textures, blending classic avant-garde sensibilities with an idiosyncratic pop instinct. On ‘Materia’, that signature fluidity is pushed even further into ethereal synth landscapes, jazz-inflected phrasing and hypnotic vocal collages.
Initially conceived around re-evaluations of her that previous album’s key track ‘Materia’, this is a companion record expands into a rich, self-contained tapestry of re-imaginings, tour-written pieces and unreleased ideas. Of the album’s thematic anchors, ‘Materia 2’ pairs an otherworldly machine pulse with subtle fretless bass, evoking the surreal art-pop haze of Julee Cruise. Meanwhile, the closing ‘Materia 3’ shifts to a deeper Wurlitzer motif in a slowed-down take intended as a subtle homage to peak CD-era hidden tracks.
Photo by Dicky Bahto
But originally released as a standalone single during her 2024 tour and opening proceedings, ‘The Laugh Is in the Eyes’ sets a captivating tone. Built on delicate synths and tumbling rhythms, its instrumentational blend would not feel out of place on a Jansen Barbieri Karn (JBK) recording. Holter floats her plaintive vocal over flutes and shifting polyrhythms, creating a balance of tension and joy.
An exquisite piece of avant-pop, ‘My Lost One’ introduces understated keys and a hushed whisper before it expands into an eccentric, dreamy blend of fretless bass, flute, sax, and soprano vocals that accelerate into a cerebral, euphoric climax. Driven by a gentle rhythm box, ‘Fantasy’ is arguably the most immediate and luminous offering here. Layered with shimmering, crystalline synths, Holter’s vocal guides a waking dream as the arrangement unfolds gradually around her, taking unexpected yet glorious sonic turns.
A striking vocal collage experiment exploring the concept of time, ‘Clepsydra’ sees complex vocal layers intersecting to deliver a brief, provocative piece of artful elegance. But spanning over 10 minutes and improvised by Holter alone, ‘My Twin’ is s sprawling piece floats in lounge ambience, bossa nova rhythms and angelic minimalism. Less a traditional song and more a vocal art installation, it features her engaging in an intimate, layered dialogue with her own mirrored voice.
Written during a turbulent period marked by motherhood, personal grief and global unrest, ‘Materia’ reflects an artist navigating heavy emotional terrain through pure compositional curiosity. This is a sophisticated satisfying listen and highlights Holter’s avant-pop mastery as both composer and vocalist with a body of work that is perhaps even better than ‘Something in the Room She Moves’.
‘Materia’ is released by Domino Recordings on 21st August 2026, available from https://juliaholter.bandcamp.com/album/materia
https://www.facebook.com/juliashammasholter
https://www.instagram.com/juliaholter/
Text by Chi Ming Lai
16th August 2026
Follow Us!