Contexterrior is extremely thrilled to release Black Pearl by Bloody Mary – not only is it her debut full-length, but also the first artist album to appear on the label in its seven-year history. Mary presents 11 tracks that explore techno, melodic ambience and haphazard breakbeats, resulting in an album that stays true to the spirit of Contexterrior: dancefloor expediency balanced with unapologetic experimentalism.

More than just a slapdash collection of tracks, Bloody Mary’s album is woven together by a common theme: discovering beauty buried beneath the darkness. This idea of contrast was inspired by the poetry of Charles Baudelaire, especially Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil) from 1857. In this controversial work, he used symbols (jewels, alcohol, lesbians, vampires) to express greater themes of erotic love, decadence and mortality.

Mary’s charm infuses every track, finding light within the shadows. The title track (also the album’s first single) perfectly captures the spirit of Baudelaire, with its dynamic, storming beats contrasted by smooth, cinematic strings. What’s more is that her international perspective has informed the music, with the Detroit debris of “Duellum” and the Latin flavor of “Sed Non Satiata”. With production help from her friend Sierra Sam and label boss Jay Haze, plus contributions from Argenis Brito (Señor Coconut, Cadenza), Danton Eeprom (Freak N Chic, Tsuba) and Jona (Get Physical, Planet E), Mary has rounded up an assortment of diverse tracks that manage to cohere into a bigger picture.