Legendary gothic singer, songwriter, and visionary artist Monica Richards, renowned for her work with Faith And The Muse and Strange Boutique, is set to return with her fourth solo studio album, Hiraeth. The highly anticipated release will arrive on 12 February 2027 via The Circle Music, marking Richards' first solo album in twelve years. Monica Richards released her previous album named Kindred, in 2014.

With Hiraeth, Richards invites listeners into a deeply personal and transcendent musical landscape, one that bridges memory, mythology, nature, and the human spirit. Drawing its title from the Welsh word hiraeth, a term often associated with longing, nostalgia, melancholy, and an aching desire to return to a place, time, or feeling that may no longer exist, the album explores themes of loss, belonging, and spiritual reconnection.

Rooted in Richards' own life experiences, childhood dreams, and personal struggles, Hiraeth expands beyond the autobiographical to embrace universal and mythological dimensions. Throughout the album, she reflects on humanity's enduring relationship with art, music, and the natural world, offering a poignant reminder of the need to reconnect with ourselves, one another, and the living environment that surrounds us.

The nine-track album is built around a melodic motif that has remained with Richards since childhood, evolving into a unifying thread woven throughout the entire record. Its recurring presence surfaces in countless forms, from the opening vocal passages of "Horae: Thallo" and the resonant bass lines of "Sand And Line" to the celestial guitar work of "Horae: Eirene" and the layered backing vocals of "Spirit Night". The result is an immersive listening experience in which melodies and counter-melodies ebb and flow like waves, connecting every song to a common emotional core.

Hiraeth also serves as a remarkable showcase for Richards' unmistakable voice. Richly layered harmonies and her signature vocal arrangements permeate the album, while the music itself embraces the stylistic diversity that has long defined her artistic identity. Tribal rhythms, evocative spoken word passages, soaring choral textures, and powerful rock-driven moments coexist seamlessly across the record's expansive sonic landscape.

The album was co-produced by Richards and Chad Blinman, who also mixed the recordings at The Eye Socket Studio in Massachusetts. Josh Sebek handled mastering duties, while Blinman additionally contributed drums and string arrangements on several tracks.

A distinguished ensemble of guest musicians and collaborators appears throughout the album, including Richards' Strange Boutique bandmates Dennis Kane and Steve Willett, alongside Neil McKay (guitar), Steve Niles (bass and guitar), Cindy Coulter (bass), Brandon Hayes (guitar), Greg Scott Cruz (guitar), Paul Mercer (viola), Marzia Rangel (cello), Patty Ashara Hele (vocals), and Anthony Roumanis (vocals).

Speaking about the album, Richards commented: "I began writing the songs for Hiraeth years ago, but wasn't able to really begin recording until 2024. I am so deeply grateful to Maria and The Circle Music for their support and belief in me as I took this journey. I'm excited for everyone to hear the album!"

Twelve years after her last solo work, Monica Richards returns with an album that promises to be both deeply intimate and universally resonant, a collection of songs shaped by memory, longing, resilience, and the enduring power of human connection. Link

Hiraeth tracklist: 
01. Horae: Thallo
02. Sand and Line
03. Mimir
04. Connasci
05. Horae: Eirene
06. The Lotos-Eaters
07. Spirit Night
08. Akhlys
09. Hiraeth