Nepenthe by Julianna Barwick

Julianna Barwick's art is equal parts force and beauty. Her music finds its motor in significant events in her own life, but they are abstracted into a sense of sonic wonderment, a radiance that you could say is her signature sound. That radiance has been taken to new zeniths with 'Nepenthe', her third full-length album, which was recorded in Reykjavík, Iceland, in the dark cold days of February.

"Everything I was making was visceral – the record represents some serious emotional stuff," she confirms, while at the same time she raves with enormous positivity about the unique recording environment. Alex Somers (musician/producer of Sigur Rós, Jónsi, Jónsi & Alex) invited her to Iceland in the first place. For Julianna, who was blown away at a Sigur Rós show in 2002, it was a dream come true. "That was the fastest email I ever wrote: “Yes!” Who would say no to that?" Somers produced and engineered the record and brought in local Icelandic musicians who turned out to make crucial contributions: string ensemble Amiina, guitarist Róbert Sturla Reynisson from Múm, and a choir of teenage girls.

Perhaps as a result, 'Nepenthe' is intimate without being introspective. Instead it’s a radiant array of light-dappled choral works, drawing a powerful sense of hope from the depths of despair. The extra musicians have rounded out her sound, emphasizing the yearning mood, the reaching towards the light. Check the teenage choir's ecstatic crooning on "Forever," or Amiina’s shimmering sound clouds on the glorious second track, "The Harbinger." "Offing" and "One Half" are the perfect showcase for her seamlessly layered vocals, which circulate and settle upon one another like sheets of gauze on the breeze.

Far from the secondhand emotions and digital dabblings of so many other artists, Julianna Barwick's music is the real deal: a life-affirming work of importance, interest… and sheer beauty.

Julianna Barwick is a composer, vocalist and producer whose music has been featured in publications including The New York Times, NPR, Pitchfork (Best New Music), Loud & Quiet and The Guardian. The new album, ‘Healing Is A Miracle’ features collaborations with Jónsi (Sigur Rós), Mary Lattimore and Nosaj Thing. She has performed with artists including Yoko Ono, The Flaming Lips and Phillip Glass.

juliannabarwick.com