New Zealand sisters Valentine and Clementine Nixon aka Purple Pilgrims refer to Perfumed Earth, their sublime sophomore full-length - and first for historic indie Flying Nun - as "kind of like a rebirth." The duo retreated to the same wooded sanctuary studio in the wilds of Tapu where they tracked their 2016 debut, Eternal Delight, but this time in a calmer, more contemplative headspace: "internal white noise subsided and we really started to appreciate the peace of our environment." Aided, too, by a vaster cast of collaborators, they fashioned "a very modern/mobile band," combining local recordings with inspired long-distance overdubs. Frequent ally Gary War contributed bass and synth from various American motel rooms while on tour with John Maus; lush live drums came courtesy of lauded Lorde keyboardist Jimmy Mac, ex-Surf City guitarist Joshua Kennedy layered in additional tiers of jangle and fuzz; veteran improvisational experimentalist Jeff Henderson cameos with subtle arcs of saxophone on the divine "Delphiniums In Harmony / Two Worlds Away"; and even legendary six-string expressionist Roy Montgomery makes a guest appearance, weaving tendrils of heavenly electricity within one of the album's darkest highlights "Ruinous Splendour.
