Review
On Extra Stars, Gregory Uhlmann largely sidelines traditional percussion, opting instead to let his guitar blur into a wash of synths, recorders, and muted piano. The Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist—known for his sideman work with Perfume Genius and Hand Habits—treats his International Anthem solo debut not as a showcase for fretboard acrobatics, but as an exercise in quiet restraint and patient layering.
Critics are drawn to this subtly pastoral approach. Noting its dreamlike intimacy, Stereogum compared lead single "Lucia" to the sort of "melancholic near-instrumental you might find buried deep on a Blur or Yo La Tengo album." Reviewers consistently highlight Uhlmann's spatial awareness and delicate touch; HHV-Mag observed that his minimal, "small-scale melodic structures" seamlessly interact to "generate a gently shimmering sonic flicker."
Across fourteen brief tracks, the consensus points to an artist using experimental phrasing to build enveloping warmth. With Consequence praising the music's "interesting timbres" and folk-adjacent melodic charm, Extra Stars emerges as a deeply human project defined by slow-swinging drift and microscopic acoustic detail.
