Barwick, Julianna – “Magic Place, The” – [Asthmatic Kitty Records]

There are several things going for this release. It starts out
sounding as if it were recorded in the vacuum left by Popol Vuh
leaving this planet for another one. Well, Florian at least. Secondly,
it triggered my old Mauve Sideshow reflex, although those old
Ventricle releases came from more of a haunted wood, while Barwick
seems to be in the sacred wood. This is a largely acapella release,
instruments seep in on the tracks, but Barwick’s voice is stacked
hyperthick. Piano is hypnotized at times. drums tip toe in once,
guitar floats by. Surrounded by cloud banks of vocal tracks, slow
moving (this is *not* a trip to Petra Haden’s quirky Imaginaryland).
There are lyrics, but they typically dissolve into misty mix.

-Thurston Hunger