Ume Offers Up a Tribute to Esme Barrera

A little slow on this one, I know, but it seems almost more appropriate now that the cops think they know the identity of the person who murdered Austin scene icon Esme Barrera on New Year’s Day of this year (and who has since committed suicide).

Expat Houstonians Ume, who’ve called Austin home for several years now, were friends with Ms. Barrera and, naturally, were pretty affected by her senseless, tragic death. Frontwoman Lauren Larson — who had known Barrera through Girls Rock Camp Austin — immediately went into the studio and recorded a brand new song, “Gleam,” in memory of Barrera, and the band’s released it on their Bandcamp page.

It’s a gorgeous, melancholy, almost Jeremy Enigk-like track, pretty and murky like only Ume can pull off. Listen, then pay whatever you can to download your own personal copy — 100% of the sales of the song will go to help out Barrera’s family: