Perlo – "Masters" (video premiere)

Atmospheric and ethereal, with softly lilting harmonies as gentle as a spring breeze – this is the experience that awaits you on the new single from emerging Portland, Oregon-based dream-folk duo Perlo. The music world hasn’t heard voices this captivating in years, so Henri Bardot and Marie Hsaio seem destined to pick up the mantle of harmonic folk standard-bearers once held by The Civil Wars. The comparison is inevitable given the wistful tenderness and crystalline quality of their vocals, though Perlo also share the gentle ambience of Bon Iver. Their music transports the listener to a peaceful realm, as witnessed in their new video.

The outdoor setting for the “Masters” video captures the organic purity of their sound: misty forests, cloudy skies, waters aglow with sunset warmth – these elements mirror a sound so resplendent that its tranquility arrests your focus. Both artists are singer/songwriters whose solo work is stellar, but together their combined talents create a special kind of sonic magic. (Prepare for chills around the 1:15 mark when the dynamics of their harmonies are fully revealed.)

Never have closing lyrics (“Do I delight you? God I try to”) been more rhetorical. When it comes to Perlo, they need not wonder, because “Masters” is an absolute delight from start to finish.

“Masters” is the first song on Perlo’s debut EP, Patterns. It released April 1 and is available on their Bandcamp page and iTunes. You can also find music from each artist at their respective websites: Henri Bardot and Marie Hsiao (aka Mree) and at the Perlo social media sites listed below.