RATING: 7.5/10
Indie pop sweetheart Clairo is back with brand new album 'Sling', which pushes the 22-year-old slightly out of her comfort zone and into both emotional and musical maturity.
Sling opens with 'Bambi' which greets us with Cottrill's signature delicate vocals, but it appears she's taken a step away from her dream-pop sound and into a more retro-feeling production. Layers of soothing guitar, piano, and harmonies complemented by brass instrumentals bring the song towards an almost jazz-esque arrangement.
This layering and production follow through most of Sling, which allows the album to feel consistent and almost timeless, as the aspects of modern production we see in Clario's previous releases are not completely lost, so it floats between an homage to more vintage sounds and something new that we haven't encountered much of before.
Sling well and truly fits into the 'Lockdown' category of music releases over the last year; these albums being slower, more melancholic and self-reflective. We've all had plenty of time to think about our own existence and general wellbeing, and Clairo is one of many that has put these thoughts into words, added a beat, and put it out for the world to see.
Clairo's musings include the usual mental health, relationships, but Clario takes an unexpected turn with motherhood also being at the forefront of the album. Cottrill muses on songs like 'Zinnias' about the possibility of settling down and starting a family, with lyrics like "Quietly, I'm tempted / Sure sounds nice to settle down for a whilе / Let the real еstate show itself to me / I could wake up with a baby in a sling"
Overall, Sling is a step up from Clairo's most recent releases, but still leaves even further room to grow with future releases. When you hear that a synth-pop sensation like Clairo is working with pop-production icon Jack Antonoff, there are certain expectations you have of what you think that project is going to sound like, but it's safe to say that Sling subverted those expectations for the better. Honest, simple, and lowkey, Sling is a very welcome addition to the Clairo discography and shows that she's certainly got more musical tricks up her sleeve.