Albums
Foam Angel
2022
Release Date: 2022
By Pitchfork
Reviewed November 8, 2022
The closer to foam feels crumbly and endearingly incomplete, in contrast to the generic bliss of your standard ambient music.
“foam angel” sounds like crackling radio transmissions from the ether; bright, chiming vocals spurt out incomplete phrases, creating an idyllic ambience. As the closing track on Ulla’s new album foam, it serves as a capstone for the record’s anxious feelings, communicated through fractured electronics and jittery loops. At the beginning, “foam angel” sounds like something out of the Ico soundtrack; bubbling synths coalesce into a delicate mist, followed by jazzy piano melodies that sputter in and out of focus alongside droning horns. There’s no climax, and the vocals don’t linger to completion, but this half-finished quality feels like Ulla’s working through turbulence with you. Ambient music often channels readymade bliss; “foam angel” wants to acknowledge uncertainty, and provide comfort therein.