Collapsed In Sunbeams

Arlo Parks

Collapsed In Sunbeams

Debut album from London-born singer-songwriter and poet Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho

ADM rating[?]

7.9

Label
Transgressive
UK Release date
29/01/2021
US Release date
29/01/2021
  1. 10.0 |   NME

    The breakout star has crafted a quietly subversive pop record that, for all its deceptive softness, challenges old perceptions of sexuality and mental health
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  2. 9.1 |   Consequence Of Sound

    Parks treads the subjects of depression, mental health, and queerness with care and spot-on intuition
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  3. 9.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Every track can mould around different settings and this level of versatility in a debut album is a rarity. Collapsed In Sunbeams is timeless
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  4. 9.0 |   Northern Transmissions

    At once effortless and dripping with deluxe sonic nuances, the focal point of Collapsed In Sunbeams is the crème de la crème fragrance of Arlo Parks’ exquisite voice, embroidered with her elysian lyricism
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  5. 9.0 |   Gigwise

    An old soul with a poetic heart
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  6. 8.5 |   Under The Radar

    Arlo Parks’ debut confirms what fans of her EPs likely already knew; she is a rising songwriter of unusual skill and grace. Her take on bedroom pop feels unusually distinctive in a genre that has exploded in popularity over the past few years
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  7. 8.5 |   Spectrum Culture

    The young artist has put together a stunning display of her talent for “making rainbows out of something painful”
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  8. 8.3 |   Gig Soup

    As a debut album, Collapsed in Sunbeams has summed up what Arlo Parks is all about. There may be nothing special about the production but it's the poetry and dream like melody that shines through. Pure bedroom pop
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  9. 8.0 |   The FT

    There are deep currents beneath the easy musical flow of the Londoner’s debut album
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  10. 8.0 |   Albumism

    This is a remarkably mature debut album for a twenty-year-old, filled with poetic flourishes, luxurious soul-pop stylings and Parks’ velvety, characterful voice
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  11. 8.0 |   Vinyl Chapters

    The record features creative songs that make you feel upbeat and part of a new movement. She’s one to watch out for and it will be exciting to see what she has in store for us next
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  12. 8.0 |   XS Noize

    A deeply personal record, but its creator welcomes listeners into her world to indulge in its poetry. It doesn’t look like she’ll be slowing down any time soon
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  13. 8.0 |   Sungenre

    Collapsed In Sunbeams could have been a curated home run for a musician at the height of their success, but instead it’s Parks first foray into creating a single body of work, something that evokes her strengths and her personality
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  14. 8.0 |   Evening Standard

    As a whole, these are songs that offer comfort rather than expressing pain – which could be what her generation, and the rest of us, need the most
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  15. 8.0 |   Uncut

    The 20-year-old punctuates beautifully languid, trip-hoppy vignettes with a voice redolent of Martina Topley-Bird and a neat line in spoken word poetic musings. Print edition only

  16. 8.0 |   DIY

    She makes light work of demonstrating exactly why the nation has become so invested in her art
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  17. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    She may be saddled with being the Voice of a Generation, but the London singer-songwriter’s warm, conversational and observant debut justifies the hype
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  18. 8.0 |   The Independent

    A spot of brightness in a dark year
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  19. 8.0 |   musicOMH

    Most of the sound on the album treads an endearing old-school hip-hop feel that will have everyone clamouring for the hazy and fun-filled summers of yore, yet there are a couple of departures in the electronica-lite Bluish and the dark and sensual For Violet
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  20. 8.0 |   The Irish Times

    Her talents stretch far beyond the written word as her debut album is incredibly musically engaging too
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  21. 8.0 |   Clash

    Reflective, intuitive and introspective, ‘Collapsed In Sunbeams’ is an immensely gripping debut. With no features, Arlo holds her own across all 12 singles and sets the bar high for those who follow
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  22. 7.8 |   Paste Magazine

    Though a bit uneven, the British prodigy’s hotly anticipated debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams is shrewd, vivid and empathetic
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  23. 7.2 |   Beats Per Minute

    The irony of Collapsed in Sunbeams is that Parks’ greatest strength also gives the album its most noticeable weaknesses
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  24. 7.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    It would have benefitted the album’s low-key mood if a few more tracks had been willing to experiment but it still has a consistency that’s impressive in a debut
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  25. 7.0 |   Crack

    Ultimately it’s Parks’ poeticism that marks her out as someone special – and makes her meditations on Gen-Z adolescence worthy of your time
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  26. 7.0 |   God Is In The TV

    Anyone listening to this LP will walk away with a series of singles to treasure. Whilst not every track sees her on top form, given she is only 20, I have no doubt this is the first instalment in an impressive discography
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  27. 7.0 |   Exclaim

    With her precocious writing capabilities, it's possible to envision the potential of someone who really could become the voice of this new generation. If anything, she's a special storyteller who will only garner more respect and attention as time passes
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  28. 7.0 |   All Music

    If the musical qualities of Collapsed in Sunbeams suffer from a bit of sameyness by the end, the formula is a soothing, pleasant one with sentiment to spare and, as a debut, full of promise
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  29. 7.0 |   No Ripcord

    With such a well-defined voice this early into her career, it makes sense that her creative impulses are currently in flux
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  30. 6.7 |   Pitchfork

    The hotly tipped 20-year-old singer-songwriter debuts with a cool, confident record that occasionally blends into pleasant monotony
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  31. 6.0 |   The Arts Desk

    Every time I listen to Collapsed in Sunbeams I’m warmed and engaged at the start but then focus drifts off. It becomes a background mood rather than a song cycle
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