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Album: Only Hinting
Artist: Clinic Stars
Release Date: September 20, 2024
Genre: #Alternative #Slowcore #Rock #Ambient
Sub-Genres: #DreamPop #SpaceRock
Label: Kranky
Description:
Detroit duo Clinic Stars – Giovanna Lenski and Christian Molik – just released their debut album Only Hinting on Kranky. Recorded in their home studio, the collection of 8 tracks follows their previous two EPs, 2021’s 10,000 Dreams and 2022’s April’s Past. The hazy album cover is representative of the dreamy ethereal sonic landscapes of Only Hinting. Clinic Stars capture the essence of 90’s slowcore and ethereal shoegaze to create transcendental soundscapes. The muse of Only Hinting can be attributed to their desire to escape the industrial environment of Detroit, MI. The industrial harsh landscapes surrounding their home studio are juxtaposed by their fuzzy lightweight shoegaze accompanied by dreamy vocals from both Lenski and Molik.
“Kissing Through the Veil” features featherlight breathy vocals, mellow riffs, and downbeat pulsing drums. It gives the feeling of daydreaming as if you are peering out a window getting lost in your thoughts.
“Only Hinting” sounds very similar to “Sea, Swallow Me” by the Cocteau Twins with its incomprehensible lyrics and melodic dreamscapes. The vocals blend into the instrumentalization as the guitar floats over the atmospheric noises.
“I Am The Dancer” starts with a drone that slowly progresses into acoustic strumming. Out from the thick smog of heavy reverb emerges Lenski’s vocals, as they have this dreamy airy quality to them leading into reverie. Lenski narrates a scene of imaginary dancers as the repetitious lyrics muddle together and then dissipate.
“Remain” sounds straight from the 90’s, composed of punchy reverb and a haze of soft layered vocals. The intricacies of layering create spatial depths as smooth whispers melt and urge you to dissolve into the song.
“She Won’t Be” begins with an ambient sound that ramps up from a murmur to all encompassing. Then transitioning to tender guitars and gentle percussion, which is paired with Lenski’s soft stretched out vocals supported with vocals by Molik, and complex FX layering to tie it all together.
“Shiver (Walking Over Time)” is a blend of blankets of sounds interjected by Lenski’s delicate vocals. I could visualize this track being a part of a soundtrack to a film similar to Donnie Darko. As the protagonist back to the camera, walks away and is enveloped into the foggy background.
“Isn’t It” plays with switching between loud and quiet as the guitars swing in and out from heavy to light sounds, colliding with the brooding bass in the distance and faint drumming.
“Thoughtless” lightens the melancholic tone of the album. It sounds like waking from a grayscale dream on a cold morning as the hazy beams of sunlight shine through the window. Guitars swirl and hum like a whirlpool inside your head before the song fades to silence.
This is the perfect album to transition from summer to autumn with its atmospherically rich rhythms, texture-laden sonic landscapes, and alluring dreamy atmosphere. Clinic Stars are destined for success sharing the same label as depressive ambient artist Grouper, as Kranky branches outside the sphere of ambient rock to a style like 4AD. Just you wait till Only Hinting is regarded in the same way we refer to releases from the Cocteau Twins in many years past now.
Sounds Like:
Stella Luna
Slowdive
Cocteau Twins
Sway
Recommended Tracks:
Only Hinting
Remain
I am the Dancer
Kissing Through the Veil
Thoughtless
Reviewer’s Name: K Galich
Date of Review: October 13, 2024
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