Released on Sep. 5, 2025, Big Thief’s latest work, Double Infinity is a starry-eyed melting pot of experimental indie. A mosaic of song and dance, Double Infinity’s jigsaw pieces look similar to those of late Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, Aphex Twin and even some contemporary shoegaze and electronic artists.
The record begins with “Incomprehensible.” A tape machine whirr twirls you around in a dance before crash landing into a swirl of synth lines, sparkles and muted bass. For a still moment, the drums spring in and spin you dizzy. Lenker begins the song in a quiet tone, nearly weeping out:
“Incomprehensible/ Let me be incomprehensible.”
A trail of melodies trek through bits of childhood, beautifully painted nature scenes, dust covered artifacts of youth. Drums patter like footsteps running, an assortment of sounds paint a tangible landscape.
Upon first listen I was surprised by how layered this song is. Texture brings depth, and this track is wide as a canyon. With many instruments and vocals the song is incredibly busy sounding. Within the song, the drums were the first thing that stood out to me— the quick tempo sets the pace for the track and adds more to the near-boiling pressure Lenker is expressing lyrically. On the other hand, I could also see how this song could be too busy. The drums at times are too much and don’t let the other instruments breathe. Incomprehensible is one of the most emotional tracks on the album and you can’t get a full grasp of that with how much space the instrumental holds. Still, I adore this song and hold it close.
“Incomprehensible” has a nostalgic whimsy to it that brings forth an ache I’ve only gotten from songs like The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Mayonnaise,” or perhaps Elliott Smith’s “Clementine.” Lenker’s ability to express different points of vulnerability makes the song hit so much harder and really makes the track. The way Lenker threads syllables and phrases into a feeling creates something that means so much more than words could tell. She paints a scene you can almost see as she cries it out. Her words spin aloud and many times I find myself there, transported to whatever world she dreams up. I could reach out and touch the pine trees, hear the birds as I swim. No modern singer-songwriter has threaded a song the way Lenker has.
“No Fear” begins with a hypnotic bassline, courtesy of Josh Crumbly.
I recently saw Big Thief live and during the show they introduced Crumbly with the band, claiming he played bass on most of Double Infinity. Crumbly joined, taking the place of their longtime bassist Max Oleartchik, who quit the band in late 2024. I say all this to argue that Crumbly had big boots to fill, and he delivered.
This track proved he was beyond capable, I would even argue the bass makes the song. The way the instrumental builds throughout the track aids to this emotional scene that Lenker builds lyrically. “No Fear” is a perfect balance between vocalization and syncopation. The drums and bass are in conversation with Lenker, at times leaving space for the emotion she spills. I absolutely adore this song and it’s one of my favorite tracks off the record.
Lenker’s sense of existentialism carves my heart out. In “No Fear” she cries out:
“There is no fear/There is no time/There is nowhere”
“No Fear” is a song about the lack of everything, and the choice of having a very bare-bones instrumental highlights that image. The album has a recurring theme centering around the act of aging, and this song expresses this fear in a way that hits so hard.
“Double Infinity” covers a lot of universal themes from a really interesting, uncommon perspective that at times has nearly moved me to tears. Lenker’s wide-open vulnerability has always made their work strong in this way, but the writing on this record was especially remarkable to me. If you’re looking for a new album to listen to I would highly recommend checking it out!
