Collapsed in Sunbeams

Prior to the release of Collapsed in Sunbeams, Parks had recorded and independently released two extended plays, namely Super Sad Generation (2019) and Sophie (2019), since her solo debut in 2018 with the song "Cola".[6] In early October 2020, Parks revealed via social media that she had finished recording "the album".[7] She had prior told NME in July 2020 that she had been "doing a lot of writing" and thinking about exactly what she wanted to express in her "first big cohesive statement of intent".[8]

Parks told NME in October 2020 that the album is "a series of vignettes and intimate portraits surrounding [her] adolescence and the people that shaped it. It is rooted in storytelling and nostalgia – I want it to feel both universal and hyper specific."[9] Speaking to Billboard, she said that while recording during the COVID-19 pandemic she was "mining these deep-rooted, sometimes traumatic places [at a time] when the world was crumbling around [her]."[6]

Parks and Los Angeles-based[10] songwriter and record producer Gianluca Buccellati co-wrote every song on the record, with the latter producing all its music. They both work in various Airbnb apartments as they have "neutral energy" and "blank spaces where [the duo] can forge their own creative bubble."[8] The track "Green Eyes" features uncredited work from American singer-songwriter Clairo who provides both guitar and background vocals.[11]

In January 2021, Marissa Lorusso from American radio program Morning Edition summarised and described the preceding singles' sound as "kind of like bedroom pop mixed with a little bit of indie folk and a little bit of R&B."[45]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.9/10[46]
Metacritic	83/100[47]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Clash	8/10[48]
Dork	[49]
Gigwise	[50]
The Guardian	[51]
The Independent	[52]
The Irish Times	[53]
The Line of Best Fit	9/10[54]
musicOMH	[55]
NME	[56]
Pitchfork	6.7/10[57]

Collapsed in Sunbeams received widespread acclaim, with many critics praising Parks' versatility and vulnerability.[54] Aggregating website Metacritic reports a normalised rating of 83 based on 20 critical reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[47] NME notably lauded the record with 5 out of 5 stars and described it as "a universal collection of stories that'll provide solace for listeners of all ages and backgrounds for decades to come."[56] Dork also gave it 5 out of 5 stars and deemed it "a sublime body of work from the kind of artist who is meticulous in all aspects of her craft".[49]

Before its release, Bella Taliesen of The Face described the album as "breathtaking", "dreamlike, jazzy and at times properly poppy" and noted that it would "take this bedroom star stratospheric."[58] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian described Collapsed in Sunbeams as "a diaristic, near-perfect debut" that "feels like a warm breeze in the depths of a miserable winter."[51] Writing for Clash, Tochi Imo described the record as "reflective, intuitive and introspective" and "an immensely gripping debut", while noting that despite featuring no guest appearances, Parks "holds her own across all 12 singles and sets the bar high for those who follow."[48] In a very positive review for The Irish Times, Lauren Murphy described the album as "a seriously refreshing collection of songs" and "one of the first great albums of 2021".[53]

Writing for The Times, Will Hodgkinson praised the record and noted that "small moments provide this fresh new voice with big stories".[59] Bella Fleming of The Line of Best Fit noted that "the versatility of Collapsed In Sunbeams is beyond comendable" and noted that it is "filled with invigorating yet vulnerable moments". She continued to laud the record and wrote that "Parks' seemingly effortless lyricism and laidback melodies make her songs cosy in winter, and chilled in summer - always to be uplifting and comforting. Every track can mould around different settings and this level of versatility in a debut album is a rarity."[54] Johnny Sharp of Uncut wrote that Parks "punctuates beautifully languid, trip-hoppy vignettes with a voice redolent of Martina Topley-Bird and a neat line in spoken-word poetic musings."[60]

In a review for Exclaim!, Kyle Kohner described Parks as "an extraordinary artist who's shown, through a small body of work, the talent to convey complex emotion with a sense of maturity beyond her 20 years of age, managing to express it all as if she's lived a lifetime or two."[61]

In June 2021, Billboard named the album among the best 15 albums by LGBTQ artists released so far in 2021.[62]