With their signature blend of shimmering indie-pop and ethereal soundscapes, Swedish duo Marble Raft invite listeners on a whimsical journey through time and decay with their latest single ‘Marble Halls’. A track that feels like it belongs in both a ghostly dream and a coming-of-age adventure, it beautifully captures the nostalgia of the past meeting the uncertainty of the present, wrapped in layers of lush instrumentation and an uncommon time signature that keeps the listener entranced.
The song, taken from their upcoming album ‘Dear Infrastructure’, follows two young explorers wandering through the remnants of a forgotten world. Grand apartments left abandoned, the echoes of wealth now just dust and memory. Musically, ‘Marble Halls’ carries a distinct air of otherworldly wonder, with chiming 12-string guitars, cascading mellotron waves, and delicate glockenspiel flourishes evoking a sense of curiosity and fleeting beauty. The decision to craft the song in 5/4 time adds an element of unpredictability, mirroring the unsteady thrill of discovery as these characters move through once-opulent spaces, now reclaimed by time.
“We wanted to bring the listener along on a voyage of discovery through grandiose scenes, though fragile and on the brink of collapse,” the band explains. “It’s an eerie house tour framed by energetic indie-pop.” That contrast between the grand and the crumbling, the beautiful and the eerie, creates an exquisite sound, a hallmark of Marble Raft’s style.
Their new album ‘Dear Infrastructure’ promises to weave a cinematic indie-pop narrative, where an abandoned metropolis becomes the setting for a youthful odyssey through a city overtaken by nature. If ‘Marble Halls’ is any indication, the album will be a spellbinding, atmospheric listen, filled with lush melodies and layered textures reminiscent of artists like Cocteau Twins, M83, and Wild Nothing.
Since their debut, Marble Raft have made a name for themselves crafting intricate and euphoric atmospheres, and ‘Marble Halls’ solidifies their place among the most evocative dream-pop storytellers of today. With each note, they breathe life into forgotten spaces, offering listeners a glimpse into a world both imagined and deeply felt.
