When Sarah Krohn was 14, she dreamt up a musical project so ambitious it would make Stephin Merrit turn his head.
“I wrote 81 songs about one person in eighth grade. It was way before I knew how to record and produce my music, but I always felt like they were a part of who I was. I always knew I wanted to release them.”
Fast forward four years, and the Ohio-based singer-songwriter has narrowed down the list on her exquisite debut album “81.” Throughout, Sarah Krohn weaves glistening electronic flourishes into folk arrangements, recalling the ethereal beauty of Phoebe Bridger’s Stranger In the Alps and Aldous Harding’s Party. Lyrically, the album is a masterpiece of love poetry which captures the essence of unadulterated, indomitable teenage affection.
On the iridescent folk opener, “Stardust,”she playfully “spins around in circles around her room,” imagining her next encounter with the boy next door. On the sparse piano ballad “In My Mind,” Krohn reconciles her love fantasy with reality, singing “I made up images of you in my mind / They were the perfect thing I wanted, but that’s not you.”
The standout track is “I Miss You,” a powerhouse indie rock anthem dedicated to the sensation most of us felt when we finally said-or thought- goodbye to our middle school crushes.
“I miss you– It’s a simple concept that everyone experiences,” said Sarah Krohn. “While a lot of the songs are personal and subtle, ‘I miss you’ is definitely more accessible.”
While the track is universal in its appeal, it is also a technical and lyrical achievement. Krohn’s sunshower of a voice soars over glittering synthesizers and country-tinged guitars, bringing warmth and light to a song about loss. Even as she describes feelings of hopelessness and confusion, it’s hard not to focus on the depth of her affection.
When she switches to the present tense in the chorus, singing “how you call me darling / how you call me love” and the spectacular line “how you smile through your words,” for a brief moment I believe Sarah’s longing is the most powerful feeling in the world. Through sheer conviction I believe she can bring him back.
But then the chorus ends, the drums slow, and the backing choruses fade, and once again she is left with her memories.
Krohn’s new album, and its extraordinary single “I Miss You,” are available on all major streaming platforms. She can also be found on Youtube, where she performs original songs, covers, and breaks down the production process of 81.
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Find Sarah's song ‘Stardust' on our Folky Females playlist!
love her music, and great article!
Love this review and love her music! Got new things to add to my playlist that’s for sure! The whole album feels like a journey from start to finish and has this odd form of familiarity to it.
Wow, Sarah Krohn’s NEW ALBUM is awesome. Stardust is my fav hope to see this do well! I will be requesting it on my local radio station 🙂
Love this, having a listen to the Folky Females playlist now!
Love the simplistic, stripped-back style of the album’s production – it really lets Sarah Krohn’s voice and songwriting shine through. Her voice has a characteristic bite to it as well; it really brings out the emotion in the songs and emphasizes that nostalgic, trip-down-memory-lane concept throughout the album. Also, love the short interludes / preludes scattered throughout the record. Beautiful ideas and sounds!
Fantastic album as a whole, with plenty of energy yet a sense of delicateness too! An album where there’ll definitely be a song and vibe for almost every emotion I’m feeling. Everything happening in ‘Falling’, from the drums to the vocals were amazing and made the album for me.
Really excited to listen to more of Sarah Krohn now! Love the personal story about her writing 81 songs when she was 14… it must have been some crush! “I Miss You” is definitely an impressive start, excited to see what she does next.