Exquisite music is Julianna Barwick's domain, and her dreamy, sparkling, minimal, weirdly cosmic sound is well worth immersing yourself in. Recorded in Iceland with Sigur Rós producer Alex Somers, Nepenthe is an ethereal work, to use up the entire descriptive adjective stock of the sonic cathedral school of album reviewers. As with her 2011 debut album, The Magic Place, Barwick has shaped a collection of beguiling and beautifully serene movements from simple swathes, wisps and patterns of vocals and synth. She layers these elements into superb, fluid, sweeping soundscapes. Tracks Crystal Lake and Look Into Your Mind are deft and powerful as they swell into beautiful imaginary landscapes. It's all heady, soothing and hugely alluring. juliannabarwick.com
Download: Crystal Lake, Look Into Your Mind, One Half