Julianna Barwick

One of the more alluring myths of modern musical innovation is that of the adulteration of ‘church music’: the commandeering of divine sounds for the sake of secular exploration. The epitome of this concept being the tale of jazz icon Buddy Bolden’s relocation of gospel music to the streets of New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century. While that narrative conjures notions of scandalous rhythms and screeching horns, the story of Julianna Barwick’s music ends squarely on the other side of the sonic spectrum. The Brooklyn-based artist builds elegant, sweeping soundscapes by looping little else than her own ethereal vocals. The result is otherworldly: a sound undeniably steeped in Barwick’s upbringing as a choral singer in the churches of Louisiana, yet much more expansive, exploratory and freeing. Her most recent album, 2013′s Nepenthe, recorded in Iceland with Sigur Ros’ Alex Somers, augments her singular sound with delicate flourishes of piano and string arrangements while remaining entirely transcendent.

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May 25th, 7:30pm @ Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts
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