Cloning
Special
Independent
You might stumble out of your first spin of Special a little disorientated. You could argue Cloning appeared on the Perth scene almost the same way. This local group of four have only brought out one track to date, yet they’ve managed to score a 2019 WAM Song of the Year nomination for a song that hasn’t been released yet (called Epilogues). Disorientated, maybe, but only because one moment they didn’t exist, and the next they were measured against some of Perth’s best. It’s easy to see why.
Special starts with graceful humility through a wiry, intimate introduction. The first verse plays out downtrodden, with a note of rambunctiousness that preserves a sense of melancholy and exasperation. Musically, the song plays eerily, giving the meaning to the song an outlet, rather than a blanket to hide it.
The core value of the song leans on the concept of potential, for which Cloning have flexed. Hard. There are subtle gentle strumming moments through bridges that nurture your inner introvert. There is a disjointed vibe that collects all your secrets and burns them in front of your face. Gently.
As a debut track, Special delivers a purposeful stride into the world of Cloning. The direction for their Pillars of Salt EP suggests the ethereal place that this band comes from plus a twist of Radiohead, and an invitation to join them there. Catch them launching it next Thursday, July 25 at Mojos, with an EP launch for Pillars of Salt to follow on September 11 at The Bird.
ANNIE MUNROE
