Originally released by the artist herself in 2006,
Sanguine
is Brooklyn-based experimental vocalist/composer
Julianna Barwick
's first collection of studio recordings, made primarily with loops of her own vocalizations. These dream-like compositions are presented here in snippet form, giving the listener the impression that they've been building up for a long time before the moments we're listening in on.
Barwick
's later albums were characterized by dense, ethereal layers of mostly wordless singing, but the short (mostly untitled) pieces here get into more playful vocal sounds and devices. Strange lispy pops, beat-box-like rhythmic techniques, and a grating screech on the appropriately titled "Scary Cat" all point to an artist figuring out her sound and having fun trying different approaches. ~ Fred Thomas