A record to get lost in.

Hitting the musical scene, solo this time, Maria Chiara Argirò releases her newest album Forest City. This record flourishes with wide-open ambient electronics mixed beautifully with a jazzy flair.

Based in the UK, Maria Chiara Argirò has collaborated with many artists through the years, including Jamie Leeming. This collaboration is what crafted her previous 2020 record, Flow. Now on her own, she has crafted a new record that ebbs and flows between the realms of electro and jazz, painting a vast soundscape picture. Maria stated that the record is meant to show the mixture of both nature and city space. This is achieved by using organic elements combined with urban textures. You can read more about this on her site as well as sample her touch here . Forest City is the perfect title for such an album, and listeners really feel that push-pull between the forces.

Single track, “Greenarp” hypnotizes the ears with a swirling arpeggiated symphony of synths. The vocals add to this lush ambient soundscape, giving it an airy floating feeling. Bit by bit, the percussion sets in keeping the heartbeat of the tracking going. The best section of the track comes in the middle when the melody takes a turn into the minor realm from the major key it started in.

“Clouds” is the second most popular track coming off this new record. It is a wonderful song to allow the mind to get lost in. It feels so strangely comforting and welcoming. Mainly instrumental, the synths swim wildly around as a jazzy saxophone streamlines to the forefront. When the vocals are present, they are light and feathery coming and going throughout, making it a welcome touch here and there.

The title track, “Forest City” oddly implements synth elements mixed with borderline trap trill drums. This is a very interesting track, almost feeling like someone has pitched down the tempo, forcing the song to sound as if it’s been slowed down. The melody tethers on the thin line of major and minor keys, much more than”Greenarp” did.

Closing out this dreamy record is “Treehouse.” This track flies by with a symphony of sounds and instruments. With how dreamy and luring the rest of the album is, this closing track at times can be slightly off-putting. Moments within the music create an on-edge anxiousness while listening that listeners do get within the rest of the record. Other than this feeling, “Treehouse” is just as vibrant and lush as the rest of the record.

Beginning to end Forest City delivers with beauty, grace and urban grit.