Album Review: Angus & Julia Stone – Snow
2 min read
The sibling duo, Angus & Julia Stone, have released their fourth studio album, Snow. Recorded at Angus’s cottage studio in the Byron Bay coastal area of Australia, one can imagine what a picturesque setting that would provide for their creative process.
Angus & Julia Stone have been a duo for just over 10 years now. At the start of their career they would keep their song writing quite separate, until producer Rick Rubin (who has worked with artists as diverse as Justin Timberlake, Audioslave and Damien Rice) suggested that they write together for their third album, self-titled Angus & Julia Stone (2014). Continuing down this successful path, Snow sees the pair writing together once again allowing each of them to give their perspective and fusing their different but complimentary song writing styles. For this release they also did most of the producing and engineering themselves.
Chateau, one of the singles lifted off Snow, provides an enticing introduction to their anticipated new release. Starting with pizzicato violins, then filling the sound with a blend of warm acoustic tones, Angus’s raspy voice then enters later complimented by Julia’s light sweeping entry. They conjure up wanderlust in their listeners as Angus sings, “I don’t mind if you wanna go anywhere, I’ll take you there…” followed by Julia singing “…Walking in the night sky, I’m always on your side. You are really saving me”.
In their hazy, understated, satisfying, warm sound, Angus & Julia Stone capture a sense of nostalgia that instantly transports you out of your reality. Their latest album release is the quintessence of chillout acoustica. If you need to calm your soul listen to Snow.
