Cargo Records

Liquidambar

Julian Williams is a Melbourne musician and playwright. He is well known as the leader of art-performance group the Hi God People, who have performed on National ABC tv, supported Sonic Youth, played the What Is Music and Liquid Architecture festivals, and released several acclaimed albums. Julian has played in bands such as Solids and The Inevitable Orbit. He has written, directed and improvised theatre at La Mama and other venues such as the Collingwood flats carpark and Ceres environmental park. Julian has released a large body of music and writing through his long-running label and fanzine From The Same Mother.

Liquidamber is Julian's latest solo album and represents a merging of his pop and experimental careers, reflecting influences from the Beach Boys to John Cage. The 12 songs feature multi-layered vocal harmonies and time-shifted sound samples atop guitars, organs and flutes. His lyrics are about philosophy, the role of humans in the universe, and tribal rites and ceremonies from Africa, South America and Asia. Included is a bonus EP Signs/Skilti, which was the soundtrack to Julian's 2004 outdoor theatrical performance at Ceres.

“Liquidamber is one of his best. Cod-surrealist lyrics are drowned in ghostly choirs levitating organ drone, quasi-traditional percussion rites and beautifully rudimentary computer manipulation. Makes groups like Animal Collective sound oddly pedestrian.“ Jon Dale - Uncut