By chelsea brimstin | February 22, 2022
Photo courtesy of Monika Oliver
Chicago’s Uma Bloo has shared a new single, “Strange Actress.”
Uma Bloo is the project of musician Molly Madden. Today’s release, “Strange Actress,” serves as the final preview of their forthcoming album, Don’t Drive Into the Smoke, out March 23rd via Earth Libraries. The moving track opens with a slow, melancholic melody before exploding into captivating, dreamy wails. The emotive tune is powerful in its slow build, as Madden channels some impressive, dynamic vocal range.
“A piece containing the most quiet of moments; a piece containing the loudest: ‘Strange Actress’ is exemplary of of the band’s wide dynamic range,” Uma Bloo explain. “The drums and bass maintain the beat in lockstep during the second verse without sacrificing the subdued mood. Guitars blare in increasing intensity as the song progresses, overdriven guitars blanketing the listener in a warm, yet heightened emotional state. Uma projects her voice with strength – you can hear her diaphragm hard at work through the speakers – yet it falls into the most beautiful of falsettos as the song concludes.”
Listen to “Strange Actress” below.
Madden explains of the forthcoming album:
“It’s about needing love so bad, getting shards of it here and there, and then watching yourself from above as you spill all over the place. Love and lust are great deceivers, fantastic distracting from getting to the heart of the pain.”
In addition to “Strange Actress,” Don’t Drive Into the Smoke features previously released single “Never Know Me,” which also premiered on Indie88.
Check out the tracklist for Don’t Drive Into the Smoke below.
Don’t Drive Into the Smoke Tracklist:
01 – “Never Know Me” 02 – “Annie” 03 – “Marguerite’s Novels” 04 – “Coming Home” 05 – “Strange Actress” 06 – “Your Pussycat” 07 – “Was I Ever” 08 – “The Actor’s Last Question” 09 – “Don’t Drive Into the Smoke” 10 – “To Be Vast”