Indie Music

Quote: "Petracovich is a siren who lures you into the night sky instead of the murky sea."

By Jennifer Layton

You don’t just listen to this music. You surrender to it. Petracovich (aka Jessica Peters) composes music that begins in Enya’s realm and pushes just up to the border of pop/electronica territory. Just enough to give the scenery more texture and mystery. And that voice ... I can’t think of anyone else who has that pure, delicate, yet commanding style. Petracovich is a siren who lures you into the night sky instead of the murky sea.

The CD opens with “Nighttime,” a gothic mystery of sound enveloping psychedelic images of tropical fish swimming in the sky, elfish shadows moving closer, and fireflies that let you hitch a ride. From there, Petracovich keeps the mood delicately dreamlike, but she will not let you nod off. “Fall From Trees”

Features a keyboard accompaniment that sounds like a child’s music box and is later punctuated by sound effects that feel like the earth is cracking open. She switches to acoustic guitar for a bit of rustic flavor on “Driving Home” and glides into a trippy Beatles groove on “Bird’s In Flight.” My favorite moment is when her music visits the Orient on “Water House.” It’s like I’m being taken on a guided dream tour.

Blue Cotton Skin is a masterpiece of stars, spirits, and glittering mist. It would do all of us a bit of good to stop the world for just a few moments, play this music, and float out of our familiar orbits for a while. I’d follow that voice anywhere.