Four Gardens

Los Angeles-based composer/multi-instrumentalist Julia Holter blurs the boundaries between indie music, modern composition, and electronic music in her own work as well as her collaborations, which include work with Nite Jewel's Ramona Gonzalez and underground folk icon Linda Perhacs. Holter grew up in a musically inclined family -- her father is a guitarist who once played with Pete Seeger -- and studied electronic music at CalArts. After graduation, she began releasing music at a prolific rate: in 2008, she contributed tracks to Monika's 4 Women No Cry, Vol. 3 as well as a Human Ear compilation and released the CD-R album Cookbook on Sleepy Mammal Sound. The following year, Holter began working with the Dublab collective, appearing on a volume of their In the Loop series of vinyl compilations and performing with the Linda Perhacs Band.

This album is haunting and full of reverberations and the ghostly quality of her voices harkens Kate Bush but updated. She makes me think of Phillip Glass' compositions but less harsh and with a feminine touch. I didn't expect to like this, but with these sparse soundscapes Ekstasis (greek for out of the body, or ecstasy) makes for great background music or else, to be enjoyed on headphones. She is unique and if you give this album a chance and let it go a little bit world music/new age but yet very 2012, you will be rewarded. It also makes a great companion piece for those who enjoyed last year's Tim Hecker output, Ravedeath, 1972. Ekstasis has similar mood, with more upbeat segments yet an album that would be labeled as conceptual.

Listen to Four Gardens here:



Buy your copy of Ekstasis here.