"Hazy, downtrodden vocal harmonies blend with aquatic synth arpeggios that mirror the tide, like Azure Ray singing over Thom Yorke compositions. True to its title, Forest City sounds like nature spreading its roots over a once-prosperous metropolis, a peaceful reclamation process. Thereâs no escaping the gorgeous spell Argirò casts." - Pitchfork
"In the past decade, Argirò has pushed to the forefront of two disparate jazz fusion scenes â first in her native Rome and then in London, where she currently resides." - The FADER
"The trained pianist sublimely fuses the jazz and electronic music worlds, creating sprawling compositions that marry her poetic lyrics, looped vocals, and intricate rhythms." - FLOOD
"atmospheric/ambient pop" - Brooklyn Vegan
"A beatific offering, 'Clouds' seems to bask in the wonder of the everyday, drawing back the veils of perception to view the world in its innate splendour." - Clash
Maria Chiara Argirò (pronounced ma-REE-ah key-AH-rah r-gee-ROW) 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 capitalâs multi-national jazz scene, sheâs lent her skills to indie band These New Puritans, lush jazz troupe Kinkajous and, more recently, collaborations with Jamie Leeming â their 2020 album Flow was nominated for one of the albums of the year in the Jazz Revelations Awards and was the Guardianâs jazz album of the month â and beat-driven duo Moonfish.
But with her album, Forest City, she finds a glistening thread between these movements: it marks her out as an exciting rising electronic artist, where jazz meets Kelly Lee Owens, Jon Hopkins and Radiohead. Itâs a concept record, about the âduality of nature and cityâ, and where organic sounds and textures seem to flow above the urban sprawl.