The Marías – Submarine (Top Albums of 2024)

The Marías have long reigned as champions of the bedroom-adjacent alt-pop realm, but they have outdone themselves on their 2024 LP Submarine. Glistening and aquatic, water-drop synths marry seamlessly with irresistible basslines that blur the line between bedroom bangers and dancefloor-ready club hits. Taking a more experimental approach to their typically indie-rock aesthetic, we hear far more interplay between digital and analog on Submarine, with a newfound confidence and effortlessness from each member.

The defining element of The Marías is, of course, María Zardoya, whose angelic tones and signature bratty, sexy inflections take on new meaning and exigency among these all-star instrumentals. Whether it’s the gentle insistence of “Echo,” the celestial, Spanish serenade on “Lejos de Ti”, or the unforgettable pop anthem vocals on “Run Your Mouth,” Zardoya runs the gamut on this project, showing that The Marías are more than ready to reinvent themselves and bring something completely new without compromising on their signature intimacy.