During a cold winter in upstate New York, María Zordoya began crafting what she describes as her “alternate reality”. Pulled away from the loud world of the music industry, she set out to create music simply “for the love of experimenting”. That resulting project is “Melt”.
After her split with The Marías’ drummer and co-founder Josh Conway and the massive success of their 2024 album “Submarine”, Zordoya sought to challenge herself in a new way. After hitting up producer Sam Evian, she began working on what would become “Not the Only One”. During the three-week period of her creative process, she required herself to take two-hour walks through nature every day, rain or snow, hoping that listeners might be able to experience the album in the same way.
“Melt” unfolds with “Puddles”, a track that immediately submerges listeners in the uncertainty Zardoya faced after her break-up. Imagining a relationship that exists only in her mind, her voice wavers with desperation. She sings, “I’m seeing double, I’m already scared / Scared of what losing feels after we dare,” capturing the lingering hesitation going into intimacy that she holds. It feels like her first step through grief, as if the rest of the album is merely a result of her acting on her admission: “But I think I should try”.
“My Turn” follows as a confession, as she admits she made mistakes that led to the relationship’s demise. The build-up to “I died ’cause it’s my turn”, conveys the sense that she deserves the emotional state she’s in because of what she’s done. As the song continues, her guilt feels consuming, with loud, glitchy feedback emphasizing her heartbreak: “I died when I lost / you / you / you”. “Moment” encapsulates the feeling of being immersed in a person and a shared moment with them while still feeling like it’s not enough. She pleads, “Disappear with me”, which also feels like an invitation to get lost in the album itself.
A short, brooding piano intro opens “Back to You”, a song Zordoya described writing as feeling like “the stars were aligning”. I certainly agree, as it is, in my opinion, the highlight of the album. Her layered, airy vocals feel like delicate tiptoes over the instrumental, hoping, and even begging to love again. Nothing feels meaningful anymore, she is fragile. The bridge is the strongest moment on this album, almost nursery rhyme-like, evoking fading memories. With, “If it’s not you I don’t want it” she is desperate. She speaks the chorus at the end of the song into eternity, as if it will somehow revive the relationship she has lost.
Zordoya has spoken of her envy of swans’ devotion and her desire to grow with another person, though she doubts such love exists. In “Swan”, she compares herself to a swan, emphasizing that part of her will always belong to her past lover: “Take my body, this I promise / Won’t let go of your hand”. “Vueltas”, sung entirely in Spanish, is one of the album’s most emotional tracks, its slight Bossa Nova influence setting it apart from other tracks. Here, she is obsessive, feeling trapped by love, with lyrics translating to: “And I’m praying that you’ll let me go / And God tells me that he can’t / Because you live inside of me”. Near the end, a hint of self-acceptance emerges: “Step away, there’s nothing left, but to love myself more / To love myself more, within me / Without you”, even as the swelling strings suggest uncertainty.
If any track seems meant to be experienced in nature, “Water on Your Nose” would be my pick, perfect for lying down in the forest on a gloomy day. Zordoya replays moments in her head, longing for something that she will never have again. “Slip” closes the album with sparse piano, drums, and electronic feedback echoing from the vocals, capturing the dread and disappointment that ripples through your body after a devastating revelation. The instrumentals build only in the second half, mirroring the aftermath of the breakup and the grief of living that harsh reality.
Melt is intimate, showing the emotional honesty Zordoya is capable of, proving her as a fantastic standalone artist in her own right.
