Perth rockers Cloning are gearing up to release their second EP Wounded Healers tomorrow, following on from 2019 debut Pillars of Salt.
Across the seven tracks featured on Wounded Healers – which we’re premiering here at Music Feeds ahead of its release – the four-piece draw from an electric range of styles to craft an ambitious collection that leans as heavily into its infectious pop sensibilities as it does its fuzzed-out shoegaze influences.
“My lyrics are more upfront and personal than before,” explains singer Felix Parker of the concepts explored throughout. “We released a song called ‘Past In Our Pockets’ last year which was the first time I had put myself out there this way; our fans really connected with it.
“It’s the most rewarding feeling for me when others have an emotional response to our tunes, so I felt inspired to write the rest of the songs in this style. My lyrics mostly explore feelings of uncertainty, miscommunication and regret, and the emotional complications I experienced while navigating my late teens to early 20’s.”
Musically, the band say they deliberately took a more energetic approach to the songs on Wounded Healers, something that feels like a guiding principle throughout. Opener ‘Closure’ is an immediately attention-grabbing stadium-sized rocker with a big, anthemic refrain. ‘Thinking Loud’, on the other hand, begins deceptively meditative – all gently-strummed guitars and understated percussion before it crescendos into a wall of blissful distortion and muscular rhythms.
That urgency may be the first thing listeners note, but what’s most fascinating about these songs is the textural exploration and sonic experimentation, the layers of lush instrumentation underneath.
“I think about my parts in the context of sound [and] texture before I worry about the actual notes,” explains the band’s Bevan Green. “I’ve always looked up to players like Ed O’Brien [of Radiohead] and Neil Halstead [of Slowdive] who can create an atmosphere for the song to sit on as opposed to just shredding away or showing off.”
Stream Wounded Healers below.
