New Album from Julianna Barwick on Dead Oceans
May 16th, 2013 , by John Beeler
Big changes are afoot for Asthmatic Kitty alumna Julianna Barwick, who is moving forward with the release of a new record on a new record label. Nepenthe, the follow-up to 2011’s highly acclaimed The Magic Place, will be released this summer on the prestigious independent label Dead Oceans, already home to such diverse artists as Frog Eyes, Califone, and Akron/Family.
Nepenthe marks a departure for Barwick in more ways than one. Like her concert performances, driven by live loops and effects, The Magic Place created complex, layered harmonies primarily using Barwick’s voice, with almost no instrumental accompaniment. A Brooklyn native raised in the South, Barwick named the album for a tree in the back pasture of the Louisiana farm where she grew up, and recorded it in her figurative backyard, at a Brooklyn rehearsal space.
With Nepenthe, the process was radically different. For her latest effort, named after a mythical potion for forgetting one’s sorrows, Barwick recorded in the dramatic landscape of Mosfellsbær, Iceland, at the Sundlaugin recording studios established by Sigur Rós.
Alex Somers, the band’s producer as well as half of the duo Jónsi & Alex with his partner, Sigur Rós singer Jón Þór Birgisson, produced and engineered the new disc, while other luminaries of the Icelandic scene contributed their performing talents. Performers from múm and the string quartet turned multi-instrumentalist ensemble Amiina contributed to the record, along with a whole choir of local young women.
Nepenthe is scheduled for an August 2013 release, eagerly anticipated by critics and fans alike, as well as by her friends at Asthmatic Kitty Records.
[youtube width=”542″ height=”305″]http://youtu.be/cTuxswB_Rew[/youtube]
Announcing OMBRE: Helado Negro + Julianna Barwick
June 7th, 2012 , by John Beeler
A beautiful thing happened when Helado Negro and Julianna Barwick first met: they got to know each other. The result, a collaborative band, OMBRE, and a brand-new full-length record, Believe You Me out on August 21st.
OMBRE has released their first single, entitled “Cara Falsa,” and it brilliantly showcases the ambient and programmed electronic side of this record, with a synthy space jam of pure oscillating ascendance,
What else can we expect from Believe You Me? Its ten tracks are very much the sound of two solo artists, each bringing a distinctive style, vibe, and voice to the mix. Recorded as the newly acquainted pair were just becoming friends, OMBRE shows Barwick’s clear, high harmonies and church choir sensibilities meld well with Helado Negro’s rustic-Latin-psyche-folk meets big-city-blockparty.
We’re excited to bring it to you come August. Until then, enjoy “Cara Falsa” below.
JULIANNA BARWICK 2011 ROUNDUP
January 13th, 2012 , by John Beeler
We’re going back over our releases from last year and trying to pack a year’s worth of happenings into one post. Here are our thoughts on Julianna Barwick’s The Magic Place. Before we get started, you should know that Julianna Barwick is touring Australia starting this Saturday. She’ll be at several festivals, including the Sugar Mountain Festival, […]
Read the Rest...INTRODUCING THE MATRIMONY REMIXES FROM JULIANNA BARWICK
October 4th, 2011 , by John Beeler
It’s been a few months since we released Julianna Barwick’s acclaimed The Magic Place, but it didn’t take long for Julianna to find some people to rethink the album. The Matrimony Remixes takes two tracks from The Magic Place and puts them into the hands of good friends.
You can buy the EP on iTunes here, or via Bandcamp here. Listen below.
#THISWEEKEND
June 3rd, 2011 , by John Beeler
Via our Twitter feed, a suggestion for what you should do this weekend (if you're in Istanbul):
#THISWEEKEND Sat: Julianna Barwick, Istanbul @ Arkaoda.
JULIANNA BARWICK COLLABORATES WITH IKUE MORI
May 21st, 2011 , by John Beeler
RVNG INTL. is releasing FRKWYS VOL. 6 on 12" vinyl in a few weeks, and it includes four pieces composed and performed by our own Julianna Barwick, and Ikue Mori of DNA as part of a month-long installation at White Columns gallery, New York, NY.
JULIANNA MINI-TOURS WEST COAST
March 23rd, 2011 , by John Beeler
ALIAS PAIL REMIXES JULIANNA BARWICK
March 3rd, 2011 , by John Beeler
Last week, we released Julianna Barwick's The Magic Place. New York production magicmakers Alias Pail went straight to work and remixed "Prizewinning" with some drums and impressive stop-and-starts. Very nice stuff.
You can listen to the remix on Pitchfork (who gave it Best New Music last week) right here.
JULIANNA BARWICK TOURS [FREE MP3]
January 7th, 2011 , by John Beeler
JULIANNA WELCOMES YOU TO THE MAGIC PLACE
December 2nd, 2010 , by John Beeler
We are very pleased to announce Julianna Barwick's Asthmatic Kitty Records debut, The Magic Place. This nine-piece full-length album of magic and solace, bursting joy and healing tones is set to release on February 22, 2011.
Read more about the album here.