EP Review: Sarah Crean – 'Death By Laundry'
Irish singer-songwriter Sarah Crean delivers a message of hope with her new EP ‘Death By Laundry’.
After captivating TikTok users with her 2022 single ‘02:00 AM’, Sarah Crean gets vulnerable on her new EP ‘Death By Laundry’. Comprised of five tracks, the collection is an introduction that offers a personal glimpse into Crean’s world as it explores the complexity of learning how to find your footing when adversity comes crashing down.
Coming of age is never easy, and Crean has faced her fair share of obstacles through adolescence. Feeling out of place in a small town while being subject to bullying, toxic friendships and later struggling with chronic illness, she sought comfort in music. ‘Death By Laundry’ sees Crean pour some of her deepest feelings to arise from this time into her songwriting in a bid for catharsis.
The emotionally charged EP feels weightless with its lush dream-pop sound. Title track ‘Death By Laundry’ is a strong opener in which Crean richly tells the story of a serial killer at the launderette, a place where she used to go to feel less alone. The “Death By Laundry Serial Killer” described is not actually an individual who haunts the laundry machines with a gun in hand, but the personification of a major antagonist in Crean’s life – the threat of physical illness. Through her attempt raise attention to the daunting presence of the killer, she finds that “He’s no harm at all,” in an electronic beam of distorted vocals, bellowing percussion and retro-futuristic synth notes. Described as “a cry for help”, the song delivers her plea with deceptively upbeat instrumentation.
Following track ‘What Do I Know?’ is touchingly reflective as Crean’s delicate vocals glide over swirling guitar melodies and a murmuring bassline, creating a slightly melancholic landscape that echoes a moment of growth. The song describes the breakdown of a toxic relationship that Crean experienced a few years prior. Viewing the experience in hindsight, she takes a satirical approach to processing the disorienting sense of losing herself as she sings: “So what do I know? I could throw myself on the train tracks outside the apartment he loves so. So what do I know? Sources whisper about a vast grey space with a cable that leads right to his phone.”
The heart of the EP is ‘Wasted Youth’, a message to Crean’s younger self. It feels assertive, grounded in the knowledge that she has gained through her experiences. Driven by sharp riffs and punchy rhythms balanced out by smooth dips, it reflects the highs and lows of Crean’s childhood and adolescence. Speaking on the track, she has said “…This song feels like an accurate representation of the fact that sometimes I’m ok with things from my past, other times I’m not.” Further contemplating losses throughout her past in a foggy groove of deep bass, ambient keys, and quiet strums in ‘Severances’, Crean asks: “What have I got without severances?” Closing track ‘Solitaire In Apt. 7’ comes in with a sulky acoustic melody and lyrics embedded in longing, but Crean ultimately reaches the mantra: “What’s meant for me won’t miss me.”
Sarah Crean’s ‘Death By Laundry’ is raw, relatable, and compelling. Crean’s vocals are warm and gracious, her diction reminiscent of the small-town storyteller tone seen among artists such as Phoebe Bridgers and Snail Mail. Through each track, acceptance is not rushed. Crean takes her time in allowing herself to process all that she has endured and console her inner child. ‘Death By Laundry’ is a moving piece of work that breathes a sigh of relief, leaving listeners to wonder what will come of Crean’s newfound sense of renewal.
Words by Kayla Sandiford
