Not for Radio – Melt

Review

With Melt, María Zardoya steps away from her identity within The Marías and reintroduces herself under the name Not For Radio — an album crafted in the stillness of winter, between personal upheaval and creative rebirth. The record drifts in a softly gothic direction, leaning into dreamy, atmospheric textures rather than band-driven pop landscapes.

Musically, Melt is anchored by piano, whispered vocal lines, and lingering reverb, giving space for vulnerability to breathe. Though the album moves slowly, it accumulates emotional weight — the kind of music best heard in low light or solitude. Critics have called it “lush, labyrinthine and gorgeous.” Even reviewers who note its relatively narrow palette praise Zardoya’s expressive lyricism and the consistency of its mood.

Melt doesn’t explode — it seeps. It’s a record of consequence, of identity unspooling and reforming, of heartbreak that lingers. For listeners attuned to slow-burning atmosphere and introspective lyricism, it’s a potent introduction to a new chapter of Zardoya’s artistry. - Lena