New Beats

Petracovich may be the name on the album, but it's really the moniker for singer/songwriter Jessica Peters. Blue Cotton Skin sounds modest but it is a stunning atmospheric work, like Portishead but light on the dance beats and on the cinematic textures. Peters' quiet and cool vocals provide balance both to her exquisite electronic music and a human element that is sometimes missing in the genre. If anything, the music is also quite melodic including tracks like "Fall From Trees," "Footsteps," and "Nighttime"; "Coyote and the Moon" is a lovely instrumental. Blue Cotton Skin is as uplifting as it is somber.

By David Chiu