Malibu: Palaces of Pity

Barbara Braccini of Malibu is a vision of serenity: a graceful musical presence, ambient vocalist, and ethereal producer whose textured synths and rhythms have brought a well desired tranquilly to the electronic music scene over the last five years. The French artist’s recent EP release, Palaces of Pity, is yet another testament to this. Across each of the five songs featured, Malibu brings a certain lull, asking the listener to reflect, meditate and explore uncharted spaces within.

Inspired by the vastness of our natural environment, as well as the minuscule details of well-known cinema and fiction, Palaces of Pity is infused with auditory textures from flowing straits of water to echoing twangs of air. Using her own dreams too as a catalyst for composing, Malibu attaches the images from her mind to sound. The result is a superimposed synthetic symphony of string chords, reverbed vocals, and nurturing whispers.

Since 2017, Malibu has been leaving traces of these electronic opuses scattered across the Internet under different musical aliases. Her contribution to PAN’s cult-classic ambient compilation Mono No Aware, along with the release of One Life in 2019 and her monthly NTS show United In Flames, have propelled her from underground internet darling to breakout producer capable of conjuring a world entirely her own. With remixes from modern visionaries, Evian Christ, Julianna Barwick, Kelly Moran, John Beltran, Dark0, Placid Angels and Merely, Malibu has successively earned herself a cult following around the word.  

For Palaces of Pity, Malibu resumes this upward trajectory with musical contributions from esteemed artists Florian Le-Prise, Oliver Coates and Madelen Dressler-Vollsaeter. Together they evoke a deep sense of calm, an “epic journey” as Braccini reflects, “a ship faithfully trailing toward somewhere silent and loud all at once.” Together they encourage us all to take the plunge.

Out now on UNO NYC, listen to Malibu’s Palaces of Pity here.