• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • 5 DOUBLE-U’S
    • MASTHEAD
    • DISTRIBUTION
    • ADVERTISE
    • SUBMISSIONS
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 23.02 – 1/28/21

TABLE FOR ONE: JULIANNA BARWICK CREATES A MUSICAL FEAST ALL BY HERSELF

Written by NINA CORCORAN Posted April 27, 2016 Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC

Photo by Zia Anger
Photo by Zia Anger

Solitude does not result in loneliness. Missouri singer-songwriter Julianna Barwick may be the master of embracing that. Best of all, she does it by feigning the strength of a chorus by wielding her own voice and layering it until the strength of a church choir appears to stand tall behind her.

 

Her newest full-length, Will, saw her alone in winter, forced to face her own isolation. Instead of falling down, weak, she churned out one of her strongest records to date. Sure, she worked alone on almost all of her prior records, but returning to that process wielded juicier fruits this time around. “With Nepenthe, I was always making music with someone, be it the producer or a string player,” she explains. “The difference between the two records is like going from having great company to complete isolation.”

 

Barwick traveled to studios all around the world for Will, hiding away in Lisbon’s sun or a desolate house in upstate New York. Since she records music on the spot—no demos in hand or lyrics penned down—when she steps into a studio, her soft, choral-based dream pop relies heavily on environment for directional cues. Improvisation leans on pulse and pulse leans on pull. Songs like “Nebula” reaped obvious benefits from her visit to North Carolina’s Moog factory. Others came to life with piano thanks to the Lisbon studio she holed up in. Opening number “St. Apolonia” even takes audio from an underpass near a local train station there of the same name. Environment is everything for Barwick’s music.

 

“I really don’t know any other way at this point,” she says, shrugging off the perception of nerves coming hand in hand. “It’s about settling in and tinkering with things. I definitely did that every day in Iceland. I had my own little hour or two of jamming and coming up with vocal loops. I hash a plan after listening to everything. It’s what comes naturally to me. Pouring over sheet music or agonizing over planning everything is not in my DNA. That feels like homework to me.”

 

 

A great deal of the record’s flavor comes from her decision to rope in other musicians this time around. Contributions from Mas Ysa in particular change up the feel of the album. “Of course, for Thom [of Mas Ysa], I had to give him some [lyrics] instead of just hollering for a while. I came up with lyrics pretty quick that we could sing together,” she says. “Each contributor fulfilled a fantasy I wanted to occur on the record. I have always wanted a cellist to play stuff, a drummer to rock out over a song, a male vocalist to sing, and it all kind of happened. It was exciting to hear those things finally appear on my own recordings.”

 

Live, she remaps her work so it can deliver similar improvisational feels. With keys, samples, loops, and more onstage, there’s a lot to manage, but she’s beginning to pick things up faster. Like the album’s title, she’s able to dodge literal interpretations by letting human will determine the intent behind tonal shifts. Julianna Barwick explores the low end of sound on Will, and the sonic feast she comes up with supplies enough fodder for listeners to be happily full of beauty and breath until the end of this summer, at minimum. That’s the type of comfort a creative success like hers can reach.

 

JULIANNA BARWICK + NAT BALDWIN (OF DIRTY PROJECTORS) + SKINNY BONES + ST. NOTHING. THU 4.28. MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS, 472 MASS. AVE., CAMBRIDGE. 8PM/18+/$12. MIDEASTOFFERS.COM.

NINA CORCORAN
More from author
  • NINA CORCORAN
    https://digboston.com/author/nina-corcoran/
    WHEEL OF TUNES: JULIA HOLTER
  • NINA CORCORAN
    https://digboston.com/author/nina-corcoran/
    WHEEL OF TUNES: PANDA BEAR
  • NINA CORCORAN
    https://digboston.com/author/nina-corcoran/
    WHEEL OF TUNES: HOP ALONG
  • NINA CORCORAN
    https://digboston.com/author/nina-corcoran/
    THE BEST LOCAL EPS OF 2018

Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC Tagged With: 2016, Boston, Cambridge, Dig, DigBoston, Dirty Projectors, Electronic, Experimental, Iceland, Interview, Julianna Barwick, Lisbon, Mas Ysa, middle east upstairs, Missouri, Moog, Music, Nat Baldwin, Nepenthe, North Carolina, Skinny Bones, st. nothing, Will

WHAT’S NEW

SOMERVILLE MAYOR CURTATONE DROPS BOMBSHELL AHEAD OF MIDTERM ADDRESS

SOMERVILLE MAYOR CURTATONE DROPS BOMBSHELL AHEAD OF MIDTERM ADDRESS

CAMPBELL UNVEILS PLAN FOR POLICE TRANSPARENCY

CAMPBELL UNVEILS PLAN FOR POLICE TRANSPARENCY

SPECIAL FEATURE: THE CRUEL AND USUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST LGBTQ+ PEOPLE IN MASS PRISONS

SPECIAL FEATURE: THE CRUEL AND USUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST LGBTQ+ PEOPLE IN MASS PRISONS

INBOX: GROUP CALLS FOR BIDEN TO ABOLISH POLICE MILITARIZATION PROGRAM

INBOX: GROUP CALLS FOR BIDEN TO ABOLISH POLICE MILITARIZATION PROGRAM

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE CITY AND STATE TO FINALLY SUPPORT MINORITY BUSINESS?

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE CITY AND STATE TO FINALLY SUPPORT MINORITY BUSINESS?

HOMEWORK FOR BEACON HILL’S COVID EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

HOMEWORK FOR BEACON HILL’S COVID EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • SPECIAL FEATURE ON THE MASS STATE POLICE: TROOPER WILSON’S WAR by CHRIS FARAONE
  • [UPDATE: WE GOT IT!] WHERE IS THE CONTRACT FOR MASSACHUSETTS’ VACCINE APPOINTMENT SOFTWARE? by POLINA WHITEHOUSE
  • BOSTON LATIN ACADEMY GRADS FIGHT FOR REPRESENTATION IN ALUMNI GROUP by CHRIS FARAONE
  • DOES THE FORMER BPD COMMISSIONER EVEN LIVE IN BOSTON? by ZACK HUFFMAN
  • MASS KEEPS TRYING TO BUILD A NEW WOMEN’S PRISON OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC VIEW by DAN ATKINSON

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 1.9 – 11/26/20

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG 23.02 – 1/28/21

Footer

digbos

Includes Gang Green, The Freeze, SIEGE, TREE, and Includes Gang Green, The Freeze, SIEGE, TREE, and many more. https://digboston.com/iconic-lineup-comes-through-to-support-nantasket-venue-through-pandemic/ #music #digital #benefit #Hull #Massachusetts
Our interview with Avi Loeb, author of “Extrater Our interview with Avi Loeb, author of “Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth.” https://buff.ly/2O3nlUd #interview #book #alien #technology #astronomy #controversy #debate #science #Boston #Massachusetts
LGBTQ+ prisoners in Mass stand up to a violent sys LGBTQ+ prisoners in Mass stand up to a violent system that targets and dehumanizes vulnerable populations. https://digboston.com/special-feature-the-cruel-and-usual-violence-against-lgbtq-people-in-mass-prisons/ #prison #prisoner #humanrights #LGBT #politics #Massachusetts
Nominations now open! Vote for your favorite busin Nominations now open! Vote for your favorite businesses today. 

Are you a business? Are you the best at what you do? Encourage your fans to cast their votes! DM us to get our social media materials to promote your business and ensure your win. #bostontops #digboston
Bill sponsors, #Framingham mayor, and MA district Bill sponsors, #Framingham mayor, and MA district attorney will explain the Work & Family Mobility Act at a press conference. https://digboston.com/driving-families-forward-coalition-aims-to-help-undocumented-attain-drivers-licenses/ #politics #undocumented #immigration #driving #license #Massachusetts
Today at 4pm, cast your votes! #digboston Today at 4pm, cast your votes! #digboston
At a virtual summit, leaders sought to educate and At a virtual summit, leaders sought to educate and engage on the need for change. https://digboston.com/officials-advocates-speak-to-immigration-reform-and-economic-recovery/ #immigration #reform #economy #politics #Massachusetts
When it comes to special packaging and limited edi When it comes to special packaging and limited editions, Jack’s Abby and subsidiary Springdale out in Framingham are top players. https://digboston.com/video-unboxing-springdale-beers-limited-edition-neipa-music-box-set/ #beer #fun
Industrial Arts Brewing in NY’s Hudson Valley is Industrial Arts Brewing in NY’s Hudson Valley is well worth the look out of state ... https://digboston.com/video-pocket-wrench-by-industrial-arts-brewing-is-a-super-satisfying-session/ #beer #fun
Some who are civilly committed for #addiction in M Some who are civilly committed for #addiction in Mass face abusive #prison conditions. Still, some families say it’s better than the alternative https://digboston.com/the-commitments-addiction-treatment-behind-bars-in-massachusetts/ #treatment #Massachusetts
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Submissions

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]