As the title of her 2012 list-topping album implies, Ms. Holter’s Ekstasis progressed through a hazy world of pause, touched briefly and inconsistently with touches of pop ecstasy. This live cover of Arthur Russell’s “You and Me Both,” bootlegged by Leaving Records founder and electronic scientist Matthewdavid, strips essentially every aspect of the original song, opting to create another slow-moving world based on the soft longing in its lyrics, and with only light piano droplets and Holter’s un-effected voice ringing through a chattering, disinterested crowd. That state of pause is pushed further than even the softest moments of Ekstasis. I imagine it was something no one attending that night’s Arthur Russell tribute show could have expected.
“You and Me Both” is Holter’s contribution to Dual Form, a split release between LA’s Stones Throw and Leaving Records, which also includes gems from Run DMT, Dem Hunger, Sun Araw, and Dntel, among others. It is available now on LP and cassette.
• Julia Holter: http://juliashammasholter.com
• Stones Throw: http://www.stonesthrow.com
• Leaving Records: http://leavingrecords.com
More about: Julia Holter
