Julia Holter on New Album 'Materia': Emotion Over Understanding

In an interview with Carsten Schrader for kulturnews.de, musician Julia Holter discusses her new album 'Materia', a companion piece to her 2024 release 'Something in the Room She Moves'. Holter explains that while she usually aims to distance herself from a previous album, this time she wanted to further explore that world. The album includes 'My Twin', a ten-minute improvisation from the earlier sessions, and two new versions of the track 'Materia', with 'Materia 3' serving as a bonus track. Holter references Alanis Morissette's 'Your House' from 'Jagged Little Pill' as an emotional touchstone for bonus tracks, recalling how it felt like a gift at the end of the album when she was ten. She also pays homage to Hildegard von Bingen on 'Materia 3', which she slowed down and added reverb to, emphasizing that her goal is not intellectual understanding but emotional feeling. When asked about publishing essays on topics like Hildegard von Bingen, the film 'Ponyo', or oxytocin, Holter demurs, saying she is not a strong essayist, though she might consider it. The interview highlights her artistic process and her focus on emotion over comprehension.