Artist of the Day: Julianna Barwick

I believe Julianna Barwick may be a vessel dispatched from on high by something greater than us - God or the universal subconscious or Ancient Aliens or whatever floats your metaphysical boat. With her latest record, Nepenthe, she continues the subtle subtraction of variables from previous releases that change (quite fascinatingly) the mood of her sound infinitely. The Magic Place may have been human, almost whimsical. Nepenthe, though, feels like the language of the world itself, entirely independent of us. 

Artist of the Day: Julianna Barwick

A product of our age of all-encompassing online exposure, Julianna Barwick's unlikely recent success has been refreshing and intriguing in equal measure. A choral wonder often paralleled with big-selling star Enya, the Missouri native's breakthrough perhaps owes much to the serene sounds of Bon Iver, Beach House et al, with fans and indie hipsters alike following their lead in exploring comparable sonic pastures. That of course is not to say that Barwick's music particularly resembles theirs in style or commercial appeal - rather that its dazzling vocal exhibits and staggering eerie ambiance provide a logical destination for those inspired by such elements from other artists. Those who follow such paths path are, needless to say, in for a treat, especially now that her third LP Nepenthe is upon us.