Since its debut in 2004, piano/guitar folk duo White Magic has challenged listeners and stayed true to the vision of songwriter Mira Billotte.
This fall, White Magic released a new EP, Dark Stars, in which Billotte and guitarist Doug Shaw are joined by drummers Jim White (Dirty Three) and Tim Dewitt (Gang Gang Dance), the second of whom produced.
The four tracks on Dark Stars are unusual and underproduced. They hover over the edges of modern classical and alternative music. Billotte builds the songs on Dark Stars around her piano playing, which is often minimal and repetitive. Shaw adds vocals, but it’s Billotte’s voice that fills what the subtle instrumentation leaves out.
Sometimes Billotte’s vocals are low and scary — sometimes they are high and hooting, as is the case on “Poor Harold,” a track that, despite its initial grating, lends itself to humming along.
No matter where it is on the scales, it’s always dramatic. Like singer Eleanor Friedberger of the Fiery Furnaces, she throws a lot of obstacles up for the listener, but like Regina Spektor, she ends up casting a spell.
The last track, and the gem of the disc, was written by Shaw. His guitar has the most prominence, and it brings warmth to Billotte’s piano. Both sing; Shaw’s voice is the narrator, while Billotte’s becomes a really lovely instrument, skipping in and around Shaw.
– Lori Barrett
White Magic: www.myspace.com/whitemagicmusic
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