Julia Holter is extending the story behind her 2024 record with a new companion album due this summer. Materia, which arrives August 21 on Domino, broadens the sonic and thematic world of Something in the Room She Moves and arrives with the single and video for “Fantasy”.
The new single pairs an upbeat, dance-inflected pulse with darker undercurrents. Holter says the track’s apparent spontaneity masked a lengthy, iterative creative process — it evolved across more than a year and several reworkings — and that the song’s image of “blinking at the light and hoping to survive” gestures toward how escapism can feel precarious in oppressive settings.
What Materia adds
According to the artist’s press notes, Materia collects songs developed with Holter’s touring band in the gaps between shows. Some pieces are fresh compositions inspired by the sessions for last year’s album; others are alternative takes and new versions of the title track that first appeared on Something in the Room She Moves.
The record also includes a striking, unedited moment: “My Twin,” a solo improvisation that runs roughly ten minutes, offering an open, exploratory contrast to the more structured arrangements elsewhere on the LP.
- Materia — Release date: August 21, 2026 (Domino)
- 01 The Laugh is in The Eyes
- 02 My Lost One
- 03 Fantasy
- 04 Materia 2
- 05 Clepsydra
- 06 My Twin
- 07 Materia 3
The video for “Fantasy” was directed by Dicky Bahto and accompanies the single’s rollout, underscoring Holter’s interest in combining visual and musical modes to expand a record’s narrative reach.
For listeners, Materia functions in two ways: as an extension of last year’s album that reframes familiar material, and as a standalone suite of new pieces that reveal how Holter’s band and recording approach continue to evolve. For critics and playlists, the album offers both reinterpretations and a bold improvisational centerpiece, reinforcing Holter’s profile in contemporary art-pop.
Expect shifts in texture and tempo across the seven-track set — from rhythm-forward moments to spacious improvisation — rather than a uniform mood. The release signals that Holter is still mining the creative territory of her previous LP while pushing it into new shapes.
Similar Posts
- Avey Tare joins Geologist to launch Croz Boyce: surprise experimental duo debuts
- Brennan Wedl announces new album featuring Waxahatchee and Snail Mail
- Muse sends new album into orbit: cosmic publicity stunt sparks fan buzz
- Katie Alice Greer debuts single Unglued ahead of new album
- Iceage ends five-year silence with surprise new single
Hello, I’m Atlas. I explore the latest musical releases for you and guide you to your next sonic favorites.