Mary Lattimore’s music feels like a long, slow exhale. While the harp is often associated with rigid classical formality or celestial clichés, she treats the instrument as a living, breathing generator of atmosphere. By running her Lyon and Healy concert grand through a chain of delay and effects pedals, she creates vast, undulating landscapes where individual plucks dissolve into shimmering clouds of sound. It is music that occupies the space between memory and the present moment.
What truly sets her apart is her sense of narrative. These aren't just static ambient washes; they are 'songs' without words that seem to tell stories of specific places, people, and fleeting feelings. There is a tactile, organic warmth to her recordings, often capturing the physical sound of the instrument alongside the ethereal electronic processing. It feels intimate yet expansive, like a private conversation held in a cathedral.
For those new to her work, 'At the Dam' or 'Hundreds of Days' are perfect entry points. They showcase her ability to build complex, emotional arcs from simple melodic fragments. It is the ideal soundtrack for creative work, solitary travel, or those quiet hours of the night when the world finally slows down enough for you to hear your own thoughts.
Mary Lattimore (born September 11, 1980) is an American classically trained harpist based in Los Angeles, California. In addition to her solo work and collaborations with fellow Philadelphia musician Jeff Zeigler, she has performed with indie musicians including Thurston Moore, Kurt Vile, and Steve Gunn.
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