Alex (album)

Noted as an upbeat "synth-forward" indie pop album, Alex was co-produced with Sylvan Esso members Nick Sanborn and Amelia Meath, and focuses on the perspectives of Sauser-Monnig, involving topics such as art and gender.^[1][4] Recorded at Sylvan Esso's "Betty's" studio in Chapel Hill, North Carolina,^[5][6] the album consists of twelve songs between two and four minutes each with a total runtime of thirty-six minutes, and features contributions from Jenn Wasner, TJ Maiani, and Caleb Wright.^[7]

"Alone Together", released on October 9, 2024, as a single and included in Alex, was the first musical work released by Sauser-Monnig since their 2019 debut album, Dawnbringer.^[8][9] They described it as "a song about reckoning with the need to connect when the rest of your life is locked in and satisfying."^[8] The album's lead single, "Talk to You", described as "a bouncy, percussive synth pop track", was released on February 5, 2025, featuring a music video directed by Amelia Meath.^[2][7][5] It was preceded by "Strange", a single released on March 13, 2025.^[3]

Pitchfork, rating the album 7.0 out of ten, remarked, "Musically, the album recalls a decade-old strain of perky, chart-aspiring indie pop, the purview of bands like MisterWives or Oh Wonder".^[1] Paste assigned it a rating of 7.6 out of ten and described it as "observational, and a bit of a self-portrait," and "distinctly modern, except on songs where it instead reads as retro."^[10] No Depression noted it as an "irresistible blend of breezy, up-tempo bops and delicate reflections on healing in a toxic world."^[11] Spin stated, "Whatever the answer, Alex remains a refreshing album for our current moment, when we're all seeking connections — with others, our world, and even ourselves — in an increasingly disconnected world."^[12]