Swiss singer-songwriter Mary Middlefiled steps into the limelight with her brand new EP, Poetry (for the scorned and lonely) which was officially released on the 25th April 2024. Even though the EP has been out for almost a week, there is one thing for sure, we absolutely love it! Consisting of 8 tracks, Mary is not just giving us deep and meaningful music but is also taking us on a journey as she explores some of the tender and vulnerable territories of life.
With that in mind, it is only right we take much more of a deeper look into the EP, as I highlight just some of the many reasons why this is one of the most special collection of songs you could welcome into your life.
The EP begins with Sexless, and from the outset Mary Middlefield offers us a song which is filled with sheer energy and true honesty. It feels like with this track that Mary is showing us a part of her inner thoughts and monologue that we can also all relate to at the same time. The lyrics to Sexless really make such a powerful impact especially with lines such as ‘How did I get to this point? How did I get to this point? I'm sexless and I'm not loved’ and also ‘I lost the friends that never knew me Started hiding, stopped replying, Back in the day, they fixed me up, There was always someone down to fuck.’.
I would love to say that life is always happy and smiley, but I am sure others would agree that given the nature of the world we live in and the social demands there are a fair few frustrations that come our way too. A song like Sexless is perfect, because it gives the listener a platform where they are able to give those thoughts and feelings a space to be acknowledged whilst also resonating with some, if not all, of what Mary Middlefield is sharing with us.
After making such a brilliant and strong start with the opening track, we move on to the second track, Atlantis. I was left so mesmerised with just so how this song is written with such poetic beauty which surrounds and captivates you. For example, ‘If you were the ocean, I would drown myself in you, till I find Atlantis in the deepest part of you, when I met your sharks I let them swim close to me, They protect the ones you love, And that so happened to be me’. What breathes even more life into this song and elevates it is Mary’s stunning vocals because it brings a level of character to the track where the emotion and feeling injected is just so tangible, authentic and wholesome. From a personal perspective Atlantis is the type of song which takes captivate of your imagination where the day dreamer within me comes to the forefront as I just allow myself to connect to such a sensational song.
Even though it is only a 30 second snippet filled with sound and beauty, I feel it would be rude not to mention third track Allodynia, because from a listener perspective it gives you the few extra moments to just embrace the the soothing aura that we just witnessed on previous track Atlantis whilst transitioning into Hearts Desire. What I really admire about Hearts Desire is how Mary has really taken us even further into almost bitter sweet insight of the yearnings of our hearts on one hand especially when it comes to human connection and affection, and on the other hand this idea of being close but this idea of their being this invisible barrier emotionally between us and the person our heart is drawn to.
I think through the power of songwriting, Mary really embodies this perfectly through the intricacy of lyrics such as ‘Sneak a Peek at my new tattoo, Have a look: I did it all for you, Man, I wish I could love you for real Man, could you hold me just once? I'm scared to be the one you disown God, I'm terrified of being alone.'
Half way through and already I have a feeling that this could very much be one of my favourite collections of songs. I don’t want to give away all of the trade secrets to this EP, as part of the excitement of the chase lies in the mystery. However there is just a couple of tracks I do want to give a shout out to. The first is, Young and Dumb. Whilst I do love every and single song on this EP, this song is probably up there as one of my absolute favourites. From the outset my personal bond to this song as a listener was instantaneous, especially due how easy I found it to resonate to this song.
Experience the pain of love’s sting is anything but a pleasant experience, and for us introverts letting someone into our inner circle of trust can sometimes take a lot of energy so we can feel that hurt when someone comes along and takes advantage of that. So when Mary Middlefield comes along with a song like Young and Dumb its one of those rare but special occasions that feel like a breath of relief to hear someone through the art of music share similar experiences and feelings to the ones that you have gone through too.
For example I remember when I heard the following verse how emotional it made me feel but in quite a freeing way. ‘I used to be so scared of you, you’ve grown closer to my heart, I give you every single piece of me, you used them to destroy me. I pretend to be so self aware, make myself believe you care, ended up with you on the floor, I lost the fight you won the war.’. I commend Mary for giving us a song like this injected with pure rawness that resulted in the most cathartic release of tears which finally needed to be let go of.
The other track I want to mention is Last Letter. Much more of an acoustic, this is a track where we really get to appreciate the true magnitude of Mary’s open hearted and honest style as a lyricist. It is the type of song which speaks to the mind, and creates a space to explore all those unspoken words especially when it comes to finally starting to move on. With lyrics like ‘My letters are coming to an end, Might be the last one you ever get, All my love, dear friend My words aren't saying goodbye forever, Plenty more thoughts to live through’ Mary Middlefield has this natural ability to turn her music in to such a powerful and moving experience.
How does this EP end? Well I will leave that for you to discover for yourself. As I reflect back on Poetry (for the scorned and lonely), it is clear to me that this EP should be regarded as a testimony of Mary Middlefield’s phenomenal potential.
These 8 tracks have hand on heart added so much value to my life, something which I will forever be grateful for. Available on all major platforms, be sure to listen to Poetry (for the scorned and lonely) today.
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Article By Thushara Chandrasiri