| A Softer Focus | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Claire Rousay |
| Cover: | Claire Rousay - A Softer Focus.png |
| Genre: | Ambient[1] |
| Length: | 33:21 |
| Label: | American Dreams |
| Prev Title: | Both |
| Prev Year: | 2020 |
| Next Title: | An Afternoon Whine |
| Next Year: | 2021 |
A Softer Focus is a 2021 studio album by Canadian-American musician Claire Rousay released on April 9, 2021, via American Dreams.[2]
Rousay 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.
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]
Critics including Tom Piekarski of Exclaim! and Chris Ingalls of PopMatters characterized the album as a successful venture into more"accessible" material for Rousay. 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."[4]
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.[5] [6]
| List | Rank | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 | 30 |
All tracks are written and recorded by Claire Rousay.
Credits adapted from the American Dreams website.
| Date | Label(s) | Format(s) | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | April 9, 2021 | American Dreams |