Portland, OR, ambient musician Matthew Cooper's fifth album released under the Eluvium name, Similes (out on Temporary Residence), marks a striking departure from its predecessors: the addition of Cooper's quiet vocals, which turns his dreamy ambient tracks into fragile pop songs. Opening is Brooklynite Julianna Barwick, who employs a guitar pedal to loop her voice, effectively creating her own backing choir through a modest four-track.
