- Sub-zero ambience.
- Each year, in the dead of winter, Atlanta label Geographic North releases a tape to capture the feeling of dark days and deep-freeze temperatures. This year's Sketch For Winter comes courtesy of Norwegian-Mexican multi-instrumentalist Carmen Villain, who paints a picture of perfect calm.
Perlita, named after Villain's grandmother, is said to explore the seasonal cycles of solitude and re-emergence. Its flow, from the opening movement of windswept ambience, through the graceful dub techno of "Two Halves Touching" and hopeful plumes of melody in "Molina," represents that journey.
Villain's artistic trajectory has developed from vocal avant-pop to almost entirely instrumental releases, encompassing field recordings, flutes, piano, zither, drums and synths. Though her vocals are now barely there, save a few looped nothings strewn across the tracks, Villain says a lot with the distinct moods on the record. Heartbreak melodies spill out, or a deep dub pulse bubbles up, and you know how you're meant to feel.
For 27 minutes, Villain creates a scene so still that even samples of barking dogs or fireside chatter don't upset the peace. The closing track, a collaboration with flautist Johanna Scheie Orellana, completes the cycle, as the calm prepares to give way.
Tracklist01. Everything Without Shadow
02. Two Halves Touching
03. Light In Phases
04. Things That Are Solid
05. Molina
06. Agua Azul