When it comes to being a musical jack of all trades there can be few more flexible artists than Juliana Barwick. Her first recordings consisted largely of vocal loops without any lyrics, the gentle sighs brought comparisons to Bjork and The Cocteau Twins (a band whose influence you can definitely hear on this single). As well as such rich sounds she's also dealt with minimalism, plus her collaborators range from avant-garde composers to rocker Sharon Van Etten to being asked to remix Radiohead. It's clear to see that her skills have been recognised, and this is with good reason.
Her new single 'Pacing' avoids the loops of old in favour of a delicate piano as its core. Layered over this are those angelic, distant and mysterious sighs. In the Big Book Of Music Terminology you would probably find a picture of this single next to the word "ethereal". On the outside this seems oh so simple. There's so little to it and it doesn't deviate from the format start to finish, yet the sheer beauty of such sounds is impossible to resist. It's choral, it's otherworldly and it's magical. Give your ears a special treat and stick this on repeat for a while.
Juliana Barwick's website
Pre-order the single
Catch her live:
Friday, March 1: University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI
Saturday, March 23: Space Gallery - Portland, ME
Tuesday, April 2: Mission Creek Festival - Iowa City, ME
Saturday, April 6: MACROCK Festival - Harrisonburg, VA
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