“`html
Manchester, UK – August 24, 2023 – Rising Manchester-based jazz-punk collective Maruja are poised to release their debut album, ‘Pain To Power’, on September 8th, 2023, via [PIAS]. The proclamation comes alongside the release of their latest playlist, “Ruthless Rave Bangers,” available on Apple Music and Spotify.
‘Pain To Power’ builds upon the foundation laid by their critically acclaimed EPs, ‘Knocknarea’ (released February 26, 2021) and ‘ConnlaS well‘ (released November 5, 2021), delving deeper into themes of societal anxieties and political disillusionment. Previous singles have directly addressed issues like perceived governmental incompetence (‘Kakistocracy‘) and the growing mental health crisis (‘The Invisible Man‘).
In a recent interview with NME as part of their ‘The Cover’ series, vocalist and songwriter Harry Wilkinson, 26, detailed the philosophical underpinnings of Maruja’s work. He credits formative influences like spiritual teachers Wayne Dyer, Alan Watts, and Terence McKenna for shaping his lyrical approach. “it stems from that ideology in all of us,” Wilkinson explained. “I never used to be able to sleep at night, so for many years growing up, I’d put on these spiritual teachers… I’ve always based my words on social topics, philosophy or things that I define as being important cultural pillars. It’s often with the intent of us trying to reach for the betterment of culture, and that’s often through concepts and beliefs of love and solidarity.”
The band, which also includes guitarist and producer Joe Truslove, bassist Finn O’Keefe, and drummer Sam Roden, aims to foster a sense of community and empowerment through their music and live performances.Wilkinson emphasized the importance of self-worth in a disconnected world. “The only way that we can really provide sustenance to combat that is to realize our self-worth. We have to spread that through our message,through our live show,through our music,as that is what is fundamentally critically important to us as human beings. Maruja is a movement.”
Maruja’s live shows, known for their energetic and inclusive atmosphere, have quickly gained a following across the UK, with recent performances at venues like the Albert Hall in Manchester and the shacklewell Arms in London. The band is currently scheduled to tour Europe in October 2023, supporting [Artist Name – to be added upon confirmation].
Read Maruja’s full Cover story here and find out who else has been on The Cover here.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.