(Digital, Vinyl, CD, 2024)
No.5253
Claire Rousay’s “Sentiment,” released in 2024 across digital, vinyl, and CD formats, emerges as a poignant tapestry of sound that defies easy categorization. It’s an album that inhabits the spaces in between genres, where the boundaries of post-everything music blur into a deeply personal exploration of emotion and memory. Rousay, known for her innovative approach to sound art, crafts an introspective journey through the quieter moments of life, making “Sentiment” a reflective odyssey that resonates with the subtlety of human feelings.
This album unfolds like a series of whispered journals, each entry more intimate than the last. The tracks are constructed around a core of sub-60 BPM rhythms, creating a slow-moving, reflective ambiance that allows listeners to immerse themselves in the nuanced textures of Rousay’s soundscapes. It’s here, in the deliberate pacing, that one finds the space to ponder the dictaphonic subliminal messages woven into the fabric of the music.
One of the most compelling aspects of “Sentiment” is the exquisite interplay between raw and effected guitar and the surrounding synths, electronics and sound conversation. These elements combine to produce beautiful sounds that indeed seem as if they’ve been captured from mid-air—a testament to Rousay’s skill in capturing and manipulating audio. The mix feels both organic and ethereal, grounding the listener while simultaneously inviting them to float away on waves of shimmering ambience.
Rousay’s use of whispered, computer-pitched vocals adds a layer of intimacy to the album, as if she’s sharing secrets meant only for diary. This effect is complemented by the tactile sounds of paper and glue, further enhancing the confessional quality of the work. It’s as though we’re being invited into Rousay’s personal reflections, privy to her innermost thoughts and feelings.
The instrumentation throughout “Sentiment” is varied and imaginative, with violins blooming like dandelion wine on a beach at sunrise, their delicate melodies intertwining with the natural sounds of water lapping at rocks and intimate bird groupings chirping in twin-speak. The acoustic guitar brings a touch of melancholy through its fret noise and arpeggios, while the echoes of future heartaches are suggested through the subtle use of reverb and delay.
Perhaps what is most remarkable about “Sentiment” is its ability to evoke such a profound sense of place and emotion through sound alone. Rousay invites us to explore what lies within the next waveform’s grains, leading us on a journey that is as much about discovery as it is about reflection.
Claire Rousay’s “Sentiment” is a masterful exploration of sound as a medium for conveying emotion and memory. It’s an album that rewards deep listening, offering up its secrets slowly, with each playthrough revealing new layers of complexity and beauty. For those willing to dive into its reflective depths, “Sentiment” presents a rich tapestry of sound that is both haunting and profoundly moving.
Review by Briyan Frederick, Discover Sounds, 2024
