Oddly enough, after years of seeing shows in DC, this past Monday was my first trip to the beautiful and historic Sixth & I Synagogue for a performance. It’s just one of those things where event calendars and my calendar never met in the middle, so I hadn’t had the privilege of seeing a show there, and I can’t think of a better artist than Julianna Barwick to begin what I can only hope to be the first of many visits.
Brooklyn’s Vasillus took the stage first and was absolutely a welcome addition to the evening. Vasillus’ music is this mix of driving synth drum beats with distinctive vocals laid overtop. He has a big powerful voice that has this epic depth to it that shined in the terrific acoustics of Sixth & I. This was a nice compliment to Julianna Barwick, as it had something of a similar aesthetic, but was different enough to make it interesting for the audience.
For those new to her music, Julianna Barwick is a one-woman choir and band. Her music is in many ways all about the atmosphere and mood it creates. This is in part due to her not singing traditional lyrics, but rather, she uses her voice to put down layers of sound that she then loops and builds into something more. By the time the songs reach their apex, it can sound like an entire choir is on stage with her. Barwick is well-practiced at this, and the transitions that occur as the compositions build are entirely unnoticeable. She would often be singing with eyes closed while operating her board with nimble hands. It’s all so seamless that you almost immediately forget that she’s even looping.
Most of the set featured compositions from last year’s Nepenthe, including “Offing” and “One Half.” In a lot of ways, this show was unique in that I didn’t focus on what was or wasn’t played like I would at a normal show, but instead I allowed the music to surround me and spill over me. When not focused on her or the projections of our galaxy displayed behind her, I would sometimes find myself tilting my head back to gaze at the gorgeous ceiling of Sixth & I. I would also occasionally close my eyes to live in just the sound for few moments.
It was interesting to me how changing where I was looking or how I was looking could impact my own interpretation of the music in a way that wouldn’t happen if I was being told how I was supposed to feel through the lyrics. It’s as though each listener is experiencing their own personal show as filtered through their own perception.
Julianna’s style of ambient vocal looping wouldn’t work for just anyone, but her beautiful voice with its truly impressive range has the ability to fill up the room, and if you let it, take you places.
VASILLUS
