If you’re a frequent EKM reader, you’ll probably already be aware of the unusual but highly effective ongoing collaboration between Chillout producer Sambox and cellist Anita Barbereau. Both artists hail from France, with the former having been involved in music since 2004, and the latter cutting her teeth as a soloist with the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra. This track, Sambox & Anita Barbereau – Cocooning, is their latest collaborative piece, and it follows on from previous releases such as Imagination, which came out earlier this year, and Wabi Sabi from 2023.
The track begins with the haunting, mellow tones of Barbereau’s cello, before Sambox enters with a light, gentle piano melody. Even at this point, the track has already begun to evoke the idea of ‘cocooning’ – staying inside and wrapping yourself in warmth and coziness, as depicted on the single’s cover photograph. The cello and piano remain fixtures of the track throughout, with layers of harp-like synthesiser and airy synth pads added later on to give Sambox & Anita Barbereau – Cocooning a little more depth. Towards the end of the track, the cello melody escalates, becoming a little faster and higher and giving the track some space to breathe as a result. This melody also intertwines beautifully with some oriental-sounding plucks delivered by Sambox, granting Cocooning a brief moment of elation before it settles down again into a calming, restful Chillout moment.
Even if you already had an idea of what Sambox & Anita Barbereau – Cocooning was going to sound like (which you likely would have done if you were already familiar with the duo’s previous collaborations), this is still a track that has the power to stun with its tranquil beauty. Cocooning is “a musical refuge that invites you to relax, to surrender to softness and lose yourself in a world where peace reigns supreme”, say the artists, and we really could not agree more.
