EP REVIEW: Bend Into A Blur – Clearbody

With the summer ahead, we’re all subconsciously looking for a soundtrack to the heat, and for some, the heartache. CLEARBODY return with their latest offering Bend Into A Blur as a perfect, fuzzy shoegaze tonic to the sun.

A bright and wondrous start in Peering Through is filled with moody, grunge-influenced progressions and sparkling leads. It’s equal parts hopeful and melancholy, a giant crashing monolith. Bending guitars wail until the cacophony drops low and the moody vocals sing on earnestly.

At five tracks long, this record is a great jump in point for any new listeners interested in what CLEARBODY are all about, and an exciting new set of songs for existing fans. Feels Just The Same has a hollowness that only deep roaring drones of guitars and a battering of drums will fill. It’s clear there’s emo influence through this band, and that has been a staple of their sound since debut album One More Day. They’ve very much settled into a comfortable emotional zone, which is to say they’re happy feeling sad, and the catharsis through Bend Into A Blur is clear.

New Essence manages to keep a lighter heart, with a classic midwest emo feel; bending guitars and scrappy harmonics add dimension and emotive sway. This song adds a lighter moment to the EP that’s much needed against the heavier tone. Rumbling drums drive This Can’t Leave, a sombre summer haze of a track. Low vocals against the gravel and hum of the bassy instrumental are well balanced and make the cascade of strings feel warm and inviting.

There’s so much emotional playing throughout the shoegaze genre, you really have to know what you’re trying to say before you punch into it. It doesn’t have to be a deep and complex story, just a sense of something. Executing that well is the key component to nailing shoegaze. CLEARBODY do that earnestly and with ease on this record. All too soon, we’ve come to the end. Cordelia is a beautiful, lush ending. Crunchy, shimmering guitars feel nostalgic and wistful, while the bite of the lower end and the solid barking drums pull at you like heartache.

If you’re feeling that kind of way that only a deliciously sombre, emo-influenced shoegaze record will hit the spot, then you have to get onto CLEARBODY. Bend Into A Blur is as lush as it is heartbreaking, filled with fuzzy shoegaze and longing vocals.

Rating: 7/10

Bend Into A Blur is out now via self-release.

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