Little Rope

The idea of another Sleater-Kinney album was initially "up in the air", as an introduction video of their previous album Path of Wellness (2021) resulted in a vague answer as to whether the duo would ever record another album.[1] However, after the release of their tenth studio album they turned to John Congleton to produce their next record. They had planned to work with Congleton "for a long time" but had to wait for the "the stars" to align. Recording took place at Flora Recording & Playback in Portland, Oregon.[2]

The album was completed in the aftermath of a deadly car accident involving Brownstein's mother and stepfather in Italy in late 2022. Dealing with this event, the duo had to face up to questions surrounding "how we navigate grief, who we navigate it with, and the ways it transforms us".[3] Much of the record had already been written by that point but was again "approached with grief hanging heavy".[4] As a result, Little Rope deals with topics including "global crisis and personal tragedy".[5] Described as "one of the finest, most delicately layered" within their discography, the record is enriched through "complex, ambitious instrumentation".[6] The duo announced the album on October 3, 2023, alongside the release of the single "Hell", a "moody and eerie" track with an "explosive chorus" that was billed "pure Sleater-Kinney".[7]