Tragic Magic by Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore
Tragic Magic brings together Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore, two of contemporary ambient, experimental and electronic music’s most celebrated composers, for a unique collaboration at the Philharmonie de Paris, with extraordinary access to the Musée de la Musique’s instrument collection, in partnership with the French label InFiné. The album features seven immersive, evocative compositions guided by the human spirit – intimate, grounded in friendship, both earthly and cosmic – and part of a greater continuum, reflecting the solace and transformative power of artistry across generations.
Co-produced by Trevor Spencer (Fleet Foxes, Beach House), Tragic Magic was created in just nine days, a testament to the “musical telepathy” that has developed between Barwick and Lattimore over years of touring and friendship. Arriving in Paris from Los Angeles shortly after the 2025 wildfires, their sessions combined improvisation with the emotions and experiences they carried, in a setting both inspiring and deeply supportive. Lattimore selected harps tracing the instrument’s evolution from 1728 to 1873, while Barwick chose several iconic analog synthesizers, including the Roland JUPITER and Sequential Circuits PROPHET-5. In freeform dialogue between voice and instrument, they create a meditation on tragedy, wonder, and the restorative power of shared experience.
The duo, often joined by Spencer, also explored the city, sharing meals and visiting museums and landmarks, each encounter leaving an impression on their next session. The experience allowed them to work intimately with rare instruments, blending their personal sensibilities with centuries of history, resulting in music that honors the past while remaining a deeply authentic expression of the present.
Throughout Tragic Magic, Barwick and Lattimore find something beyond themselves: a sense that while everything may not be okay, beauty persists. Their approach – transforming life into music, observing, feeling, and creating – continues a lineage of creative expression and visionary invention, embodied in the very instruments they employed for this project.
About the InFiné & Musée de la Musique Collection
Since 2017, InFiné and the Philharmonie de Paris have collaborated to showcase the Musée de la Musique’s prestigious instrument collection. Beyond preservation and archiving, the partnership invites contemporary artists to reinterpret historical sounds, weaving together past, present, and future. Previous projects, such as InBach (2020) by Arandel and Saturn 63 (2022) by Seb Martel, demonstrated the capacity of rare instruments to be reimagined, bringing their history to life for today’s audiences.
Tracklist
| 1. | Perpetual Adoration | 5:33 |
| 2. | The Four Sleeping Princesses | |
| 3. | Rachel's Song | |
| 4. | Haze with no Haze | |
| 5. | Temple of the Winds | |
| 6. | Stardust | |
| 7. | Melted Moon | 8:38 |
Videos
Credits
All tracks written, composed, arranged, produced and performed by Mary Lattimore & Julianna Barwick. Except Rachel’s Song composed by Vangelis and Temple of the Winds written by Roger Eno.
Jacob Hochbrücker harp (Germany, 1728), Érard single movement harp (France, 1799), Érard double-movement harp (France, 1873), tuning bells of Pleyel chromatic harp (France 1900) performed by Mary Lattimore.
Roland corporation JUPITER analog synthesizer (Japan, circa 1982), Sequential Circuits PROPHET-5 analog synthesizer (USA, circa 1975) performed by Julianna Barwick
Sound recording, additional production and mixing by Trevor Spencer
Mastered by Heba Kadry
A&R by Alexandre Cazac
Cover Art by Cat Solen
Executive design by Cat Solen & David Normand
Recording supported by Philharmonie de Paris - Musée de la musique
Published by InFiné Éditions and Julianna Barwick Music (administered by Songs of Virtual in North America and by BMG Rights Mgt for the Rest of the World). Except Rachel’s Song published by EMI Music Publishing and Temple of the Winds published by Opal Music (administered by Universal Music Publishing Limited)
License
All rights reserved.
Julianna Barwick is a composer, vocalist and producer whose music has been featured in publications including The New York Times, NPR, Pitchfork (Best New Music), Loud & Quiet and The Guardian. The new album, ‘Healing Is A Miracle’ features collaborations with Jónsi (Sigur Rós), Mary Lattimore and Nosaj Thing. She has performed with artists including Yoko Ono, The Flaming Lips and Phillip Glass.