Julianna Barwick's forthcoming album, aptly titled Nepenthe*, is streaming now through NPR Music. Barwick's vocal-heavy ambient soundscapes are unique constructions, built of an ethereal swirl of vocal samples to create envolping, emersive landscapes. The album is reminiscent of her beautiful 2011 LP The Magic Place, but features a few tracks that follow more traditional song structures, at times sounding a little like early Sigur Rós.
While there is a lot to remind the listener of The Magic Place, there is more room, more space for the listener to breathe. I'd say more breathing space, but her compositions often incorporate breath and breathy vocals as a part of the orchestration of sounds. That intimacy is what has made her previous recordings worth listening to repeatedly.
Nepenthe will be released on August 20 via Dead Oceans. Watch the teaser trailer for the album below. Stream the album here.
* Nepenthe is the substance in Homer's Odyssey that takes all grief and suffering from an individual's thoughts. Aptly titled because during the recording of the album Barwick dealt with the death of a family member, and while these songs are wistful, they're also uplifting and hopeful.