A Softer Focus is a 2021 studio album by Canadian-American musician Claire Rousay released on April 9, 2021, via American Dreams.[2]
| A Softer Focus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 9, 2021 | |||
| Genre | Ambient[1] | |||
| Length | 33:21 | |||
| Label | American Dreams | |||
| Claire Rousay chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background and composition
editRousay conceived of A Softer Focus in collaboration with longtime friend and artist Dani Toral, who created the album cover, music videos, and other visual materials. Toral, a ceramicist, also crafted ceramic whistles included with the special edition vinyl record of the album.[2]
With the album's more traditional instrumentation and melodic structures, A Softer Focus marked a creative departure from Rousay's previous works, more experimental compositions which drew heavily from field recordings.[3]
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 82/100[4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Beats Per Minute | 82%[5] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[3] |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10[1] |
| PopMatters | 8/10[6] |
| Under the Radar | 7.5/10 [7] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, A Softer Focus received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 from 7 critic scores.[4] Critics including Tom Piekarski of Exclaim! and Chris Ingalls of PopMatters characterized the album as a successful venture into more "accessible" material for Rousay.[3][6] Robert Barry of The Quietus praised A Softer Focus as "a singular meditation on life and memory that never falls into the traps of nostalgia."[8]
In addition to naming the album among the best jazz and experimental releases of 2021, Pitchfork recognized A Softer Focus as one of that year's 50 best albums overall.[9][10]
Year-end lists
edit| Critic/Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 | 30 | [10] |
Track listing
editAll tracks are written and recorded by Claire Rousay.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Preston Ave" | 1:36 |
| 2. | "Discrete (The Market)" | 6:34 |
| 3. | "Peak Chroma" | 8:48 |
| 4. | "Diluted Dreams" | 8:35 |
| 5. | "Stoned Gesture" | 4:49 |
| 6. | "A Kind of Promise" | 2:59 |
| Total length: | 33:21 | |
Personnel
editCredits adapted from the American Dreams website.[2]
- Claire Rousay – composition, production
- Lia Kohl – cello (tracks 2, 3, 6)
- Ben Baker Billington – vocals (track 4)
- Macie Stewart – violin (track 4)
- Alex Cunningham – violin (track 5)
- Andrew Weathers – mastering
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Label(s) | Format(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | April 9, 2021 | American Dreams | [2] |
References
edit- ^ a b Arcand, Rob. "claire rousay: a softer focus". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d "claire rousay – a softer focus". American Dreams. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Piekarski, Tom. "claire rousay Puts Her Ambient Experimentation in 'a softer focus'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ a b "A Softer Focus by Claire Rousay Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ Hakimian, Rob. "Album Review: Claire Rousay - A Softer Focus". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ a b Ingalls, Chris. "Clairee Rousay Leans Into A Gentler, More Ambient Sound on "A Softer Focus"". PopMatters. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ King, Ian. "Claire Rousay a softer focus". Under the Radar. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ Barry, Robert. "Fuzzy Logic: A Softer Focus By Claire Rousay". The Quietus. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ "The Best Jazz and Experimental Music of 2021". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ a b "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 June 2024.