Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a personality trait involving "a deeper cognitive processing of physical, social, and emotional stimuli". Someone with high SPS is known as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). Research shows that HSPs account for about 15-20% of the population. Clinical psychologist Elaine Aron claims these individuals need more 'down-time' than others to process information; that is, time alone to let their minds run free. While it's unknown if Ohio native Maria BC is an HSP, their classically trained voice, gently fingerpicked electric guitar, and vulnerable songs sound like they are coming from a sensitive and gentle soul. The eleven songs across their debut album 'Hyaline' make beauty and mood paramount, enveloping the listener in a web of intoxicating escapism and beguiling musical experiences.
The opener, "No Reason", shows Maria's control over their capricious and expressive voice. It also highlights what makes this album such a pleasant listen from start to finish; a genuine understanding of how mood impacts melody and vice-versa. "April" is a more brooding number, with a rhythmic guitar pattern and Maria's sensual voice lulling the listener into hypnosis. Lead single "The Only Thing" melds ruminative guitars hitting saudade notes, whispery vocals cryptically delivering imagery, and light, experimental drum patterns. "ROF", which recalls Dead Deer-era Grouper in its enchanting otherworldliness, seems to swim in the depths of a moonlit pool; watery atmospherics swirling over Maria's restrained yet focused singing and playing. The album's title, Hyaline, is a literary word describing "a smooth sea or a clear sky". Maria's songs straddle an invisible line between sea and sky, the fragility of their watery world breaking with pushes of optimism before plunging back into the comfortable and dark depths of emotion. "Good Before" is a remarkable album highlight that utilises Maria's flair for abstract expressionism while also touching on a poppier and more accessible motif.
This is not just an album for sensitive people seeking refuge from today's overstimulating world. "Hyaline" is a collection of songs that speaks of the most profound truths of the human experience; that life is confusing, painful, and even insufferable sometimes, but that doesn't mean it can't be beautiful.
★★★★★Reviewed by Jay Honeycomb on 2022-06-11
Rating: 5