Clara (album)
| Clara | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 28, 2021 | |||
| Length | 69:54 | |||
| Label | Kranky | |||
| Producer | Scott Morgan | |||
| Loscil chronology | ||||
| ||||
Clara is a studio album by Canadian composer and record producer Scott Morgan under the pseudonym Loscil.[1] It was released on May 28, 2021, through Kranky.[2] It received universal acclaim from critics.[3]
Background
The sounds on Clara are sourced from a 3-minute composition performed by a 22-piece string orchestra in Budapest, Hungary, that was lathe-cut onto a 7-inch record.[4] Loscil "scratched and abused" it, and then sampled and shaped the sounds from it to create the album.[4]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 85/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| Exclaim! | 7/10[6] |
| MusicOMH | [7] |
| PopMatters | 8/10[8] |
| Spectrum Culture | 76%[9] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Clara received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 85 out of 100 from 8 critic scores.[3]
Ben Devlin of MusicOMH commented that "Clara is a supremely accomplished record, and deserves to sit with previous career highlights like Submers and Monument Builders as a masterclass in abstract electronica."[7] Justin Vellucci of PopMatters called the album "a beguiling work that toys with space between light and shadow while touching on themes of space and gravity as all-encompassing and inspiring as the universe itself."[8] Heather Phares of AllMusic stated, "A beautifully nuanced work, Clara is both revealing and mysterious -- and Loscil fans wouldn't expect anything less."[5]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beats Per Minute | BPM's Favorite Ambient of 2021 | —
|
|
| MusicOMH | musicOMH's Top 50 Albums of 2021 | 36
|
|
| PopMatters | The 20 Best Electronic Albums of 2021 | 18
|
Track listing
All tracks are written by Scott Morgan.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lux" | 5:40 |
| 2. | "Lumina" | 6:12 |
| 3. | "Lucida" | 5:44 |
| 4. | "Stella" | 10:08 |
| 5. | "Vespera" | 6:01 |
| 6. | "Sol" | 5:04 |
| 7. | "Aura" | 8:32 |
| 8. | "Flamma" | 6:04 |
| 9. | "Orta" | 7:18 |
| 10. | "Clara" | 9:11 |
| Total length: | 69:54 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[13]
- Scott Morgan – production
- Budapest Scoring – string orchestra recording
References
- ^ Phares, Heather. "Loscil". AllMusic. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ H., Rob (March 30, 2021). "loscil reveals intriguing new album with the immersive ambient cut "Vespera"". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Clara by Loscil". Metacritic. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ a b Eede, Christian (March 30, 2021). "Loscil Details New Album, 'Clara'". The Quietus. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Clara - Loscil". AllMusic. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ Sylvester, Daniel (May 27, 2021). "'Clara' Further Proves Loscil's Undying Commitment to a Concept". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ a b Devlin, Ben (May 26, 2021). "Loscil – Clara". MusicOMH. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ a b Vellucci, Justin (June 3, 2021). "Loscil's 'Clara' Is a Beguiling Work". PopMatters. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ Bromfield, Daniel (June 6, 2021). "Loscil: Clara". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ "BPM's Favorite Ambient of 2021". Beats Per Minute. January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ "musicOMH's Top 50 Albums Of 2021". MusicOMH. December 17, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ "The 20 Best Electronic Albums of 2021 (page 1 of 4)". PopMatters. December 14, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ Loscil (2021). Clara (CD booklet). Kranky.