Iconic duo Sambox and Anita Barbereau have really been on a roll with their releases in recent years. Merging ethereal cello melodies with Chillout production, tracks like Cocooning and Wabi Sabi show just what a potent combination their unique musical abilities have the potential to create. Of course, both artists have also undertaken solo work (Sambox has had solo success with releases like his Deep Time EP, whilst Anita Barbereau has previously collaborated with names like Le Petit Frenchy), but it is together that this pair’s musical talents really shine. They continue to prove this to their listeners on Sambox & Anita Barbereau – A New World, their new three-track EP that came out earlier this month.
Sambox & Anita Barbereau – A New World kicks off with the mellow Imagination, which we covered at EKM when it was released as the EP’s lead single earlier in the year. With its lilting piano part and soothing cello melodies, Imagination makes a great opening track for an EP which seems to have the sole aim of calming and relaxing its listeners. The second track Ethereal Dream, meanwhile, has much more of a mournful feel, particularly its introduction which sees quiet, tender plucks of piano combined with murmurs of bass. A delicate throbbing rhythm is added part-way through, whilst an Indian-esque vocal sample lends the piece some additional color and flavor. Finally comes Unity, which is perhaps the most evocative of all the three tracks on Sambox & Anita Barbereau – A New World. Barbereau’s cello sounds richer and more sonorous than ever, whilst Sambox’s knack for bright but soothing Chillout production complements his musical partner’s playing to a tee. Unity is also perhaps the most densely layered of the three tracks, with sounds such as the delicate pluck of an acoustic guitar remaining relatively low in the mix but still serving to give the piece some extra depth.
In short, existing fans of this unlikely but talented pair will love Sambox & Anita Barbereau – A New World; it builds on the unique sound that they have created on their previous releases, but also sees them embracing a wider range of instrumentation and musical arrangements.
