Marem Ladson - “Idontcare”

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 4

Pairs Well With…Sevdaliza, FKA twigs, Carmen Ruiz

Spanish indie pop/R&B artist has released two EPs since we last checked in pre-pandemic, the most recent being Baby Light, a chilled continuation of her dreamy, minimal grooves. More ghostly than bare, songs in English and Spanish interchange across the five tacks of Baby Light, sparse numbers ranging from spacious folk to light synth ballads. Ladson’s low-key nature doesn’t underplay the emotive core of her songwriting however, flowing with the music finely and comfortably. (Kevin McStravick)

2020 Review: Bilingual Spanish artist Marem Ladson explores the spaciest sides of alternative R&B, covering her music in ghostly synth soundscapes and often purposely overpowering the main melodies of her recent tracks. It’s an evolved sound from Ladson’s self-titled debut, a record more engrained in roots rock, alt country, and breezy pop than where Ladson ended up with 2019 singles “Nothing Really Matters” and “Nothing Really Matters”. Granted, her earlier sound works fine and is a natural fit for Ladson’s rich yet melancholy tone, even getting grunge-heavy on songs like “Shades of Blue”.