A Little Death

Shortly following the noisy ambient Americana of no floor, claire rousays 2025 collaboration with more eaze, rousay remained on Thrill Jockey with the solo effort a little death. On this album, the composer mixes numerous found sounds and field recordings with droning strings, rustic guitars, stirring pianos, and electroacoustic processing. It feels very autumnal, like crunchy leaves underfoot, but also like a warm jacket in the crisp night air. When spoken samples are clearly audible, such as on the brief opener "i couldnt find the light" or the comforting drone of "somehow," they directly relate to topics of disassociation and mental illness. On "just," M. Sages delicate, considered piano notes give way to swelling, gliding strings and curdled tape distortion, packed with intricate sonic details. It becomes one of the albums most overwhelmingly emotional moments, but ultimately leaves the listener with a welcoming feeling, like a long hug. A few other songs tap into rousays emo and country roots, from the rootsy ramble of "night one" to the more spacious meditation "somewhat burdensome," which accents extended notes with subtle, twinkling glitches. The albums title track features Gretchen Korsmos outwardly stretching clarinet and frequent collaborator more eazes violin, and it sounds both intimate and vast. Like any of rousays other releases, a little death is a homemade portrait, incorporating sounds from her life and her friends into earnest, personal work. ~ Paul Simpson