DSGN CLLCTV in Northside to Host Sonic Experience that is claire rousay

Browsing musical artist claire rousay’s Bandcamp page, tiles of soft, serene photos represent her body of work with accompanying song titles like “Sigh In My Ear,” “Distance therapy” and “everything perfect is already here.”

The thoughtful titles make way for the Los Angeles-based artist's sometimes undefinable sound, which has been categorized as emo ambient, hyperpop, experimental, textural and noise. rousay (stylized in lowercase) is on a midwest tour that’s making a stop at Northside’s DSGN CLLCTV on Friday, Nov. 10.

“It's kind of hard [to define] because I do a lot of different things and I'm constantly changing it,” rousay says of her music. “I'm touring right now playing guitar, which is not something I've done before. So between six months ago and now, it's changed so much. But ambient music or electronic music is what I usually say, just because at the end of the day I'm running a ton of stuff through a computer or using synthesizers.”

Listeners should approach rousay’s music simply ready to absorb. Her songs tell stories and evoke sincere emotion. Sometimes the vibe is calm and meditative, other times it’s choppy and intense. rousay’s sound is an interpretation of the world around her, which she extracts from instances as simple as brewing coffee or shutting a door to more complex interactions with others like conversation or voicemails. The sounds are united with rousay’s creative ear and talent, yielding truly distinct songs made of everyday sounds.

“I record myself in the morning, a lot of the time," she says. "So making coffee in the morning is kind of something that pops up in a lot of my music, or the sound of water boiling or water running. And that's  a pretty basic, everyday sound that most people have an experience being repeatedly exposed to. So they have their own  world and  feelings they've built around those sounds and those experiences."
rousay’s work has been reviewed and praised by publications like The New York Times Style Magazine, National Public Radio, the Guardian and Pitchfork. Her tour was brought to Cincinnati by Whited Sepulchre Records and Torn Light Records. Ryan Hall of Whited Sepulchre tells CityBeat that rousay’s music is an experience to be had, one produced out of genuine experience and talent.

"I am really excited to bring claire back to Cincinnati," Hall says. "claire's work has this unique [aspect] of being in the Venn diagram of fearlessly experimental - exploring the extremities of noise, sound art, etc., while being incredibly vulnerable and personal in her songwriting and performance. She has this way of exploding the extremely personal into the universal. Having the show at DSGN is incredibly special. [The owners] have done an incredible job opening their space to multi-media events and creating a welcoming and supportive environment for young punks and world-class artists."

For more information about claire rousay at DSGN CLLCTV on Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. visit eventbrite.com.

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