The sounds of Miryam Solomon‘s music combine jazz and electronica with soul-stirring vocals underpinned by her love for rhythms, and intelligent lyrics that will open up new avenues of thought.

With the release of her new EP Romance, almost upon us, the London-based artist is ready to bloom. Throughout each of the four tracks, the music exudes an air of mystery and excitement, as the title suggests. The new EP sees Solomon refine her distinct sound with help from Ben Marc and harpist Alina Bzhezhinska.

Ahead of the release, we caught up with Miryam to chat about everything from her upcoming EP to the pandemic, Albert’s Favourites and more.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with me! It’s been a while since we’ve had any new music from you, and with your Romance EP arriving in the not too distant future, how are you feeling ahead of release day?

My pleasure, thank you for inviting me! Really good, thanks. It feels nice to be sharing music, and I’m glad that I have the opportunity for it to be heard.

I love the energy and emotion behind the lead track Pushing The Tide! Could you tell me about the inspiration behind it and how it came to be?

Thank you. I come from a vocal/choral background, so it naturally colours how I approach composition. I’m usually singing out parts that might become a melody line or a bass line, and I love interlocking rhythms and clapping patterns, so with Pushing The Tide, it felt like an invitation to that world. I brought the ideas to Ben Marc, who produced the EP, and he really made it come alive in shape and form. He’s not only a brilliant producer but also a very encouraging and enthusiastic person, so it made for a very fun and playful process.

What are the key themes of the upcoming release?

Good question! I’ve never really thought of it in terms of themes, but I guess in the back of my mind, It’s been about how to build something from very little. So how to create something that moves and changes but with few and simple building blocks like repeating rhythms and phrases.

Do you think the pandemic influenced your EP? If so, how big of an impact did you feel it had?

Not so much the music, but more the timing. It was pretty much finished early that year, but it wasn’t the right time to put it out. I would listen back to it on my walks, though, and it offered me something to look forward to, and when everything felt chaotic, that meant a lot.

How has your sound evolved since Magnolia?

I guess it’s more about the intention behind each EP. Magnolia felt like a project around finishing songs that I’d sat on for a long time. It was rewarding in its own right, and I’m very proud of it, but it very much had the energy of things coming to an end.

With Romance, I didn’t have any big grand ideas or emotional investment. I mainly wanted to try things out and have fun. I received some funding through the Mobo Help Musicians fund and set myself some limitations and a deadline. I called Ben and asked if he was up for it, and as corny as it sounds out, we just had a chat and said,” Let’s make something beautiful”. 

Having your new project released on Albert’s Favourites seems like a fantastic fit; can you tell us how that came about?

Yes, I was initially introduced to AF through Huw Marc Bennett who’s album Tresilian Bay I featured on and was released on Albert’s Favourites last year. I got to know Jonny through that, and then Adam reached out to me about collaborating on one of his songs, and we kind of became pen pals! It’s a funny thing starting any kind of relationship online, but it felt genuine. I thought they were good people and would treat my music and me with respect and care, so I sent it to them, and it all worked out.

Apart from the EP, what else is in store for the future?

I’ve got a gig on 21st October at Old Church Stoke Newington and sharing the bill with my pals Howl and Auclair.

Thursday 21st October || 700pm doors, 730pm start £10 Advance Ticket