When we talk about the new deluxe edition Black and Blue Deluxe: Deeper Shades by Maria Lane, I personally picture a scene from a director’s cut of some cult film that fans have waited years to see. And yes, all the signature traits of a major release are here: seven additional tracks, an expanded sound, nearly two hours of music — everything that evokes a sense of complete and unconstrained self-expression.

The digital format makes it possible to realize any advanced ideas without limitations, and Maria Lane takes full advantage of that freedom. Almost every track stretches beyond five minutes. The music is slow-burning, intimate — it wraps itself around everything.

photo by Maddie Barkocy

The main charm of Black and Blue Deluxe: Deeper Shades lies in the fact that newcomers can dive right into the most complete version of the album, while those already drawn to Black and Blue will find in this reissue an extra dose of melancholic comfort. The seven new pieces shift the familiar space in unexpected ways: each melody adds a new layer to the atmosphere, creating not a single streak of melancholia, but a soft, malleable wave of musical art.

It’s important to understand that Maria Lane isn’t someone who aims for brevity. Her method is built around the idea of “show people the whole world that lives in your head,” without compromise or restriction. That mindset comes through most vividly when you stumble into a sudden change of tone from one track to the next. The storytelling might not be obvious at first, but it’s there: each new composition shines a small light on a fragment of the Lane’s inner landscape.

If some once viewed Black and Blue as an intimate, experimental work, it now stands as a full-scale audio performance. Nearly 120 minutes of music draw you into a continuous flow, where stepping away from the setlist feels impossible. And when the final track plays, the question arises: “Is there more?” It genuinely feels like the artist could’ve kept going, had she wanted to. Black and Blue Deluxe: Deeper Shades is unlikely to be called an easy listen — but that’s precisely where its strength lies. Give it your full attention, and it might become your new benchmark on the scale of emotional depth. By comparison, Billie Eilish feels like a passing sadness, while Maria Lane is a near-bottomless pull, compelling in its raw honesty.

Many liken this approach to the difference between a trimmed theatrical release and a full director’s cut — and frankly, the parallel holds. The original version worked, but in this deluxe reissue, the added tracks expand the themes and images with greater clarity. This no longer feels like an experiment — it now reflects the scale Maria Lane may have aimed for all along. There’s little doubt: if market demands had required strict limitations, the album would’ve been cut by a third, and the mood would’ve taken a serious hit.

Yeah, musically this record is already pretty dense, but dig a little deeper and the lyrical foundation really stands out too. Not in a “look how many layers we’ve packed in here” kind of way, but more like a collection of diary entries someone finally decided to share. It moves through themes like the emptiness of relationships that were supposed to mean something but end up just wearing you down, to the fear of dating again — when even the gentlest “I won’t hurt you” starts sounding like a warning, because you’ve seen how it goes.

Billie’s Sad. Maria Lane Is Devastating.

Here we have “empty bed, empty sheets,” which was released as a standalone single. Everything here is almost weightless: Maria’s soft vocals, the hazy arrangement, strings swaying right at the edge of audibility.

photo by Maddie Barkocy

Then comes “safekeeping.” It’s a step away from what we’ve come to expect from Maria Lane — and more importantly, a confident one. This experimental thread continues in “body count,” where almost live-sounding guitars form a textured framework, gently and deliberately interwoven with Maria’s voice. What’s especially satisfying is how each new track reshapes the internal structure of Black and Blue. On “placeholder,” Lane’s vocals split into several layers, dissolving into the guitar pattern. The beat is minimal, yet it carries a rhythmic wave that sets the pace for an inner monologue.

And just when you think you’ve figured out her approach, along comes “road trips” and completely pulls the rug out from under you. The intro is tense, almost cinematic. Ambient layers give the sense of a shift in space, like a door opening into a dark hallway. Everything here is slightly off-center, unsettled — which only makes it more compelling. Maria Lane has a way of asking questions without using words, and this track is a perfect example.

By the time the album reaches its closing moments — “it’s not you, it’s me (afraid of making love)” and “through my guitar” — she returns to a more “safe” space, but without simplifying the sound. The first leans on a pop rhythm, yet there’s still an anxious whisper moving somewhere in the background. Fear of closeness, fear of being open. The theme of assault unfolds over soft, delicate instrumentation — but content-wise, this might be the heaviest, most crushing track on the entire album. And “through my guitar” is the final note. Minimalist, intimate, almost private in tone. Everything loud and dense fades away. What remains is warmth and music — that inner voice that stays with you even in silence.

Black and Blue Deluxe: Deeper Shades is steeped in soft melancholy, refined melodies, and the grainy sorrow in Maria Lane’s voice. For those who value genuine musical self-expression, that matters — there’s never a sense that anything’s been trimmed back or that creative freedom has been compromised.

Overall, this expanded edition of the album feels like a long walk — at first everything seems clear, but then you begin to notice the details you hadn’t paid attention to before. Black and Blue Deluxe: Deeper Shades is a perfect fit for anyone who seeks volume, depth, and openness in music. You want to pull a blanket over yourself, turn up the sound, and let each track slowly unfold. It’s in this format that the album truly breathes — and I’m glad Maria Lane chose to release an extended version.

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