Bottom of a Bottle

Released in April 2025, Bottom of a Bottle is a five-track EP that represents a return to the stark, minimalist arrangements of Julien Baker's earliest work. Moving away from the full-band indie rock expansions of her third album, this release strips the instrumentation down to its barest essentials: a lone electric guitar, a resonant upright piano, and her singular, unadorned voice. Recorded with a heavy emphasis on analog warmth and tape saturation, the EP explores themes of addiction, spiritual doubt, and the slow, painful process of recovery. The title track sets the tone with its slow-burning dynamic build, while shorter pieces like Sylvia highlight her ability to create immense emotional tension with nothing more than a few repeating chords and a raw vocal delivery. It stands as a powerful, self-contained chapter in her catalog.