Almost exactly two years after posting the video for Pretty Girl that brought her from Syracuse house shows to headlining festivals, bedroom pop pioneer Claire Cottrill (a.ka. Clairo) has released her debut album, Immunity. After a meteoric rise to fame, the 20-year old musician has accomplished an incredible amount in a surprisingly short period of time. Some critics dismissed her as a fleeting sensation, but this project proves them wrong. These 11 tracks are full of emotional storytelling, relatable angst, and the proof of Clairo’s songwriting chops and stylistic range that her breakthrough hits couldn’t showcase. At times, the album’s production breaks away from her signature “bedroom pop” sound and explores a cleaner, more polished sonic palette, likely due in part to Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij having a hand in its creation. Songs like Closer to You show Clairo in a completely new light, with a dreamy trap beat full of ominous synths and ticking hi-hats accompanying a tastefully auto-tuned vocal performance. Other tracks, like Softly and Sinking, stick closer to Cottrill’s roots, with simple instrumentation and a nostalgic, lo-fi sound. Overall, Clairo has truly proven herself with this album, and I’m excited to see where she goes from here.
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Clairo – Immunity
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