Clairo - Diary 001 EP

Clairo
Diary 001 EP
2018
Spotify

Clairo is another one of those where in the hell did they come from artists coming to Coachella this year. However once you dig a bit deeper you see that Clairo has been making and posting music online since she was 13. Those original songs, mostly covers, saw the young artist often alone in her bedroom using the synth to craft wonderfully lo-fi versions of popular songs. After the massive success of her original "Pretty Girl" a manager and label came calling and we soon arrived here at this EP. Clairo manages to find a balance between Lo-Fi chillwave and delicate pop. The ease which her songs spill out feel totally natural and clean, that is until she starts trying to hard. "B.O.M.D." with Danny L Harle is a prime example of Clairo slipping into some generic popness that just does not fit her style. Her music is slick and easy not pushy or aggressive at all. You are supposed to lean back when you listen to Clairo rather than lean in. "4EVER" brings it all back around to that wonderfully honest production. Because Clairo doesn't stretch her voice she finds all these great little pockets that she would have otherwise missed. Sometimes the vocal can remove you from the beat or vice versa, but Clairo straddles the line like a champ.

This EP is short, only 14 minutes total, and it feels like it. She only scratches the surface of so many things and doesn't really take the time to dive in. It's not like she makes up for the length of the songs by packing them full of stuff, instead she feels really content to just allow the songs to be brief and delicate. The last track, a demo, actually has seemingly more life than the rest of the album. It feels like home for Clairo and that is why it works. There are a lot of things to like on this album, but it also doesn't feel like Clairo has found a unified voice. When she locks into that sound I'm sure we are going to be in for something really special. We'll just have to wait and see.

6.8 out of 10