Nepenthe

Late to the party on Juliana, but this one caught my eye on discogs. I noticed it was produced by Alex Sommers (of Jonsi and Alex) with Jonsi engineering. I also noticed Amiina providing the strings. Being kind of a sucker for most music from Iceland (where this was recorded with Icelandic musicians) I went ahead and ordered this on Amazon as it was available new for less than I could buy it used. I am certainly glad I did. Its a gorgeous record that just kind of hovers on the edge of awareness; a trancelike dream that’s feels something akin to being sung to by ghosts while floating on a cloud. Much like the record by Jonsi and Alex, Riceboy Sleeps, long, patient strokes on bowed strings coupled with gently echoing vocal arrangements inspires a oceanic calm. I like this record to zone out to late at night alone or put it on as a sonic backdrop to a good conversation with a loved one. This is not getting pumped for your morning run or doing squats at the gym music. Rather this is plaintive, unassuming drift with just enough form to be interesting should you be able to stay awake long enough to pay close attention. This vibe has been my thing since the early 90’s when I was a teen following the breadcrumb trail left by ambient techno artists like the Orb and Future Sound of London leading me to find Budd, Eno, Tangerine Dream, LaMonte Young and other minimalist music. If you’re into that sort of thing I think it’s a safe bet you will be into this record

I must say, I was not thrilled with Ms. Barwick's previous CD, but I heard a bit of this one on the radio and it sounded lovely, so Itook a chance. Also, I knew she had done all or part of it in Iceland, and so much magic comes out of there that I knew I had to check it out. And it is truly exquisite, and transporting. I think the incorporation of more external elements in addition to her voiceand piano really added tremendous depth and variety to the music. There is a children's choir, some strings, a bit of electronics (?), all very tastefully and elegantly employed.All in all, a beautiful, meditative work, that never veers into "new age" mundanity. It's the companion CD to Jonsi and Alex's "Riceboy Sleeps"!!!Highly recommended.

beautiful simplicity. illuminated bliss dancing in a void of bittersweet emptiness consumed by fleeting memories of childhood in the early autumn.The feel of this album is somewhere between Lovesliescrusing and Sigur Ros.Appeals to fans of ambient, ethereal, minimalism.

The album is frequently ethereal, but all the tracks are essentially the same -- waxing and waning of strings, choirs of waxing and waning ahhhhhh, some piano now and then. As medium to soft background music or massage room music I suppose it would work, but attending to it did not repay me. There are many better new age and new age-ish albums out there. A pretty much one-note album.

Brings a peaceful atmosphere to the house, very relaxing and beautiful compositions. This is very unusual and distinctive - not cookie cutter new age but something quite different and ethereal. I can't imagine anyone not liking it.

gentle vocalizations, very original sound, melodious and introverting. not suitable for rockin' out, but quite the thing for a solitary evening.

Such a delightfully haunting and supple album. Soothes the nerves and stirs the soul. I played it a lot during Christmas - what a relief!

and unique. Watch her on youtube when she performs alone. Its magical. I like meditating with this album. The one woman choir indeed.

This is a very special album.For those not familiar with Juliana Barwick's work, she sings very softly and beautifully, layering her voice multiple times in harmony to create a choral effect. The image of a choir of angels springs to mind. Here she is accompanied by some minimal and tasteful instrumental backing. Don't get me wrong, though, this is not cheesy New Age music, with tinkling bells and cheap sounding synths. Far from it.There are no lyrics in these songs, just her vocal tones creating the melodies and harmonies. Each track flows easily into the next with nothing to disturb the mood, allowing you to bathe deeply in the sweet purity of the vibes. The Wire magazine criticised the album for being too one-note and sentimental in mood, bemoaning the lack of 'edge' to mix things up, but I disagree strongly. Imho the inclusion of darker or edgier tracks would have spoilt the gentle overall atmosphere of the album.Reminds me a bit of Riceboy Sleeps in its more celestial moments. And that's a good thing.Transcendent musical purity from a very talented young artist who deserves your support. Don't hesitate - buy it!

Julianna Barwick's music is rather unique. It is interesting enough to warrant really deep listening but also very capable of creating a nice ambient atmosphere. Fans of Eno's ambient work will probably appreciate it because of this. Comparisons to Eno are perhaps a little misleading though; Eno's Ambient series often feels very calculated (note this is no criticism, I love his work) whilst Nepenthe maintains an entirely more organic and 'flowing' feeling throughout. Julianna's voice is a great instrument and I find it very relaxing.The vinyl record sleeve is beautiful. The ink is more vibrant than many of the images seen online - it really is a striking pink. The inner sleeve is printed with imagery of the sea which is quite nice. Unfortunately mine came with a small crease on the cardboard but that is just the sacrifice you make for having vinyl records delivered to your door. I should also mention that the vinyl album comes with a code which allows you to redeem a free download of the album in 320 bitrate MP3s! Just note that it states that the 'offer may expire at any time, so don't wait.' I doubt this will be a problem, but the website may go down in 10 years time or something.

I heard this album on a friend's CD and wanted to get the vinyl and hopefully better definition on my hifi system.On receipt I was immediately concerned to see that the vinyl was not heavy grade, and that once on the platter it was warped more than usual. I cleaned the vinyl as I always do before first use. Side one was OK but with too much background crackle for my liking. Side two has a scratch over most of track one and part way through track two, and the whole side has much snap crackle and pop. With this delicate music the impact is so much that it is almost unlistenable. Somewhere along the line there is a problem, either with the pressing or with an album that has already been returned.

For fans of dreamy ethereal soundscapes this is a stunning album and has a lot in common with bands like Sigur Ros although this has a more minimal feel to the overall structure. The vocals are keep to a minimum and at times are so distant you wonder if this would have been better off without them at all and was hoping for more of her beautiful voice. The only problem I had is there is hardly any variety in the tracks and is does feel a bit repetitive, but with a pair of headphones, dimmed lights and no distractions this is music to truly listen to rather than just hear.

This is the first time i have listened to anything by Julianna Barwick,but i am so glad i did.This is a lush,beautiful album full of relaxing,ambient type tracks,that are quite different to other things i have heard.Ideal to relax to,or similar to other albums,to just leave on in the background.Brilliant and absorbing.