Thursday 30 January 2014

Julianna Barwick: Six reasons to love Brooklyn's finest

Brooklyn-based soundscape artist Julianna Barwick has been enchanting listeners with her abstract sound for four years. ShadowPlay takes a look at what's caught the ear of a global audience. 

1. Barwick's music is a combination of classic ethereal sounds which melt away like candy floss to the tongue and a more uncomfortable, mournful tone. Whether it's slowly shredding a violin or carefully introducing her piano, Barwick builds up incredible loops which prove mesmeric. 

2. Barwick first released a mini-album, Florine, in 2009 featuring more conventional song structures and built on it for her 2010 release, The Magic Place, which honed her reverb heavy sound. Her latest album, Nepenthe, gave her worldwide recognition and featured in plenty of end of year lists. Highlights included Labyrinthine and The Harbinger. 

3. She grew up in rural Louisiana and a farm in Missouri and, as the daughter of a preacher, allowed the choirs in her church to influence her music later in life. As a kid, she harmonised with random sounds like the echo emanating from a giant tree.

4. She translates her sound well live to leave audiences in her thrall. He she is playing Offing.



5. Barwick has worked with a fistful of musical royalty. From members of múm and string quartet Amiina to Sigur Rós collaborator Alex Somers, she's made a name for herself among the upper echelons of the aural establishment. Oh, and got to record in Sigur Ros' swimming pool studio, Sundlaugin.

6. Barwick has also worked with Radiohead, remixing their tune Reckoner in 2010. In turn, her work has been remixed by the likes of Diplo and Prince Rama.

Monday 20 January 2014

Desert Isolation Discs: Betty in the Sky

Over at our sister site Desert Isolation Discs I've been lucky enough to host renowned podcaster Betty Thesky as she selects her favourite tunes of all time.

Betty has featured in USA Today, The New Yorker and even hosted her own BBC World Service documentary since hitting the air and the airwaves with her unique podcast. She is a flight attendant for a major US airline and recounts tales of her escapades in her addictive podcast Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase.

Head over to Desert Isolation discs to hear her selections.