Julianna Barwick & Ikue Mori

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release
Tracklist

A1 - Dream Sequence
A2 - Stalactite Castle
B1 - Rain And Shine At The Lotus Pond
B2 - Rejoinder
Bonus - Breath Of Spring
Bonus - Red Aurora

4...according to our Brian on Thu 11 Aug, 2011.

Three flaky computers in and I finally get to review this bewitching Ikue Mori/Julianna Barwick collaboration. Recorded improvised-style for a month long residency at White Columns Gallery in New York, this takes the form of swooping new-age choral effect vocals underpinned with all manner of twittering android glitches, acrobatic chirruping and vintage progressive sound-art scrunch. My favourite piece is 'Rain & Shine at the Lotus Pond' which sounds like a manic electronic aviary being soothed by the heavenly voice of an ethereal princess. Barwick's vocals are very much of the Inca Ore/Fursaxa school but less witchy and creepy, more comforting. Not as ghostly and smudged as Liz Harris's either but you get the picture. Gorgeous tones from a champion vocal seductress!! The charming underlying racket is most fascinating too. This is not at all like the clattering free-jazz percussive racket with which Ikue made her name in such legends as DNA. What we have here is a highly experimental stew of spacious astronomic synthesis and subtle frequency manipulation which fires off at obtuse angles against the ever dream-like aura of the voice. This is probably one of the most interesting records to hit the shabby office hi-fi this week, it's a surprisingly relaxing and intimate listen, evolving deliciously over the course of the four pieces. This meeting of zen-like feminine minds is probably not going to be repeated any time soon and more than amply showcases their combined talents, creating new ambient shapes and soundscapes for an ever-hungry audience demanding something a little special and different.

Frkwys Vol. 6 features four pieces composed and performed by artists Julianna Barwick and Ikue Mori as part of a month-long installation curated by RVNG Intl. at White Columns gallery, New York, NY.

When RVNG accepted an invitation by White Columns director Matthew Higgs to display in the all-purpose Project Space, we envisioned a venue to host a FRKWYS collaboration. The non-profit gallery's long-standing support for experimental music dates back to the Noise Fest, a nine day event curated by Thurston Moore in June of 1981 that featured many prominent downtown New York musicians.

Keeping the institution's regard for NYC avant music in mind, we looked to Ikue Mori, a member of No Wave anti-stars DNA and pioneer of drum machine and software improvisation, and Julianna Barwick, an artist recognized for the ethereal loop-based vocal compositions of her 2009 Florine EP and 2011 The Magic Place LP, to forge the focal point on our opening night event.

For the installation, a particle-board cubicle was custom constructed and placed at the center of the Project Space. The cubicle wall separated Julianna and Ikue to their respective seated work stations, while web cams captured the musicians at work / play and became interactive projections manipulated by video artist Erik Mika, illuminating this exercise in simulated engagement.

Each of Julianna and Ikue's improvised performances on October 29th, 2010, were cut live to vinyl via portable lathe. On the album's June 14th release date, the set of four unique lathe cuts and an elaborate art book will be made available for offers on igetrvng.com. The book features creative direction by Will Work For Good and photographs from the two events by Aubrey Mayer and Jody Rogac.

Julianna and Ikue met a second time three weeks later at White Columns, November 16th, 2010. This time the two musicians collaborated without an audience, cubicle, web cams, or lathe, but with past experience and spirit in place, an exercise in actual engagement. The four pieces of FRKWYS Vol. 6 include two performances from the first collaboration and two performances from the latter collaboration.

Frkwys Vol. 6 is a shared release with The Sound of White Columns. The LP is available in limited edition, packaged in thick black jackets with a two-color adhesive wrap. 50 subscriber copies come in leatherette jackets. All LPs come with a 24-page black & white zine; the book features creative direction by Will Work For Good and photographs from the two events by Aubrey Mayer and Jody Rogac.