Julia Holter - Ekstasis (Double vinyl LP, CD, Double vinyl LP)

Now I was shouting about Laurel Halo a bit a while ago. Last night I heard that same lush, spangled space-pixie vibe that adorned the King Felix EP seep through my kitchen door again as I was reckoning up this here bejewelled pop opus whilst dressing my salmon. This Julia Holter is the lady that was on so many people's tongues last year but somehow escaped the Norman gaze. We were probably too busy licking other psychedelic walls but nevertheless she's tickling our ears right now with this gorgeous record. Before reading anything about her work I also had Laurie Anderson spring to mind in that the songs here are truly like glistening sonic bubbles floating through space and someone at the BBC notes the same detached but wondrous mystery. There's so little way of conveying the tenderness and wonder of Julia's sound in words without reverting to the same awestruck similes and metaphors. 'Ekstasis' is a proper adorable cosmic pop masterpiece with a thoroughly sensual and graceful outlook, richly detailed and very classic sounding. Basically if you like tender ethereal pop music made by dreamy ladies then it's your lucky, lucky day...