released March 21, 2025

This album is dedicated to the memory of Stéphanie and Pierre Haliniak, and Rab.

Songs by Thierry Haliniak

Thierry Haliniak: vocals, electric lead guitars and keyboards

Casper Iskov: drums, bass, rhythm acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals, additional electric lead guitars and keyboards

Rosanna Pang: backing vocals

Mixed and mastered by Casper Iskov

Cover design by Disaster Club International

Thanks to Casper, Ed, Emmanuel, Maud Anyways, Rosanna P, Christophe P, Amandine Shoe, Marianne V, Meyverlin, E-grand, Spirit In The Night

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REVIEWS
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"Shimmering Nostalgia and Modern Dreamscapes - A Luminous Triumph". In the evolving world of indiepop, few bands manage to strike that delicate balance between homage and innovation. My Raining Stars, with their latest album Momentum, carry the listener along on a sonic journey that feels both timeless and refreshingly new. From the album's opening notes, Momentum envelops the listener in a lush tapestry of shimmering guitars and melodies that linger long after the music fades. There is a sense of familiarity here – echoes of the C86 era, the glistening textures of early shoegaze. Yet My Raining Stars never succumb to mere pastiche. Instead, they channel these influences into a sound unmistakably their own: warm, inviting, and bristling with emotional authenticity. Momentum succeeds because it feels genuine. There's a palpable sense of love and care in every note, a devotion to craft that shines through. In Momentum, My Raining Stars have delivered an album of beauty and substance that offers solace in times of sadness and amplifies the joy of brighter days. For fans of dreampop, janglepop, or simply great songwriting, it is an essential listen." Tim Thomas from Second Scene.

"What if the best indie pop album of 2025 was French? With Momentum, My Raining Stars has given us a perfect distillation of a certain idea of indie rock, as it was played in England in the early 1990s." Grégory seyer from Benzine

"Listening to My Raining Stars is like discovering a new and wonderful recipe made from familiar ingredients - in this case shoegaze, jangle pop and Phil Spector. You’re left gasping “How did no one think of this before!”. Every special recipe has a magic ingredient. Here, it’s the voice of Thierry Haliniak. His vocals create the sound of a wide eyed European troubadour fronting an early Creation Records band, probably Teenage Fanclub. But as they evolved to shed their noisy skin, Thierry stretches his arms to embrace music from across the full spectrum of pop’s rainbow. The music may be intentionally grubby, but his voice is pure and almost innocent as it rises up to point the right way ahead. You might lose the melody in the wall of sound but never in his voice. The stage is set from the opening moments as My Raining Stars jangle their way through the buzzy noise that carries ‘For Good’. ‘Better Life’ introduces a soupcon of baggy, best imagined as playing over a sunsoaked Festival field. ‘Stop The Time’ simultaneously sounds as if you are in the front row by the security barrier but the music is coming from far away. It’s a high octane phenomenon that is both brilliant and affecting. ‘Special Place’ melds it all together into something approaching pop perfection. If the shoegaze flavours are the most pronounced, they contain more energy than we’re accustomed to hearing. These songs are influenced as much by Oasis and Manic Street Preachers as they are Slowdive or Ride and they are illuminated with the sparkle of the best of the C86 generation. It’s a mix that gives the unexpected silence towards the end of ‘Lovers’ and its faint reprise such power. My Raining Stars deliver the best kind of indie rock, with a winsome heart." Chris Weeks from Pop In The Real World

A few years ago, in 2022, I wrote a review of the ep My Raining Stars released, entitled “The Life We Planned”, in which the band explored the moments in time that can land do lead a person down a path they did not expect, sometimes for the better, but also for the not so good. In the three years since, they have obviously been busy bees, because they are here again, unleashing a new album upon our ears, in the shape of “Momentum”. A title that perhaps best describes the album , particularly the opener, and first single from the album, “For Good”, the essence of which is to make the most of the time available to us as it does not last forever, we need to keep moving forward so we can make the best of what time we do have. With next track “Better Life”, there is a sense of purpose, a drive to push on and get to where you want to be. Upon hearing the opening bass riffs from “Special Place“, I immeduately thought about the classic Adorable track “Homeboy“, this was only a fleeting moment mind, and we were immediately back in the room with Thierry Halliniak, no sign of Piotr Fialkowski…but there you are. We do, however have a rather delightful slice of dreamy, gauzy guitar noise pop, that drives forward with aplomb and a lightness of touch, gliding as though on air currents. The second single off the album, “Stop The Time” takes things down a touch, there is a sense of regret and a fear of imminent loss, a refusal to let go, no matter how hard it is. Something we can all relate to, for a variety of reasons, each with their own context. “Lost In The Wild” is punchy, urgent, direct and optimistic, perhaps reflecting the summer vibe currently, as the onset of warm weather lends itself to a feelgood factor, a vibrancy in the air that is potent, entrancing and immersive. This feeling carries through next track “The Cost Within”, a hazy, hypnotic groove that could be a mirror to the Paisley Underground era, effervescent and woozy. This rich seam is running through the entire album, a gloriously psychedelic, yet very much blazing its own trail across the musical landscape, while wearing the badge of its influences with love and pride. “Lovers” wants to take you by the hand and walk you through fields of rye, oil seed and maize on a summer Sunday afternoon, while “Void” simply wants to sit on the porch and watch the world go by, as the Sun falls behind the trees. With second last track “Disappeared“, the jangle guitar is most prominent, with maybe a hint of The Cure, but not so melancholy, the track overall is sweet and engaging. Which brings me to the closing track, “Manhattan“, which I reckon Mark Gardener would have been proud to have wrote. Indeed, it could very easily be a track from their most recent album, which is some compliment, as that was afine album. as is this one, and so, with that, I definitely recommend purchasing a copy, you will not go wrong here. In conclusion, it is always refreshing to see a band not just relying on its influences, mimicking them note for note, but taking them and turning them into their own sound, and that is definitely the case here."
Wayne Walls from The Keeper Of The Gaze

"Thierry Haliniak’s My Raining Stars returned this summer with their latest album ‘Momentum’. It follows 2022’s fine ’89 Memories’, can it match up to its quality? 89 Memories’ was indebted to the lush melodies of the early 90s indie-pop and shoegaze scene in the UK. Whilst these hallmarks remain, there is a newfound directness to Haliniak’s songwriting, causing a stir here. Opener ‘For Good’ puts Johnny Marr’s hook-making skills through Andy Bell’s psychedelic prism to great effect. Whilst not full throttle in tempo, there is an urgency pouring out of ‘For Good’ that demands serious attention. ‘Lost in the Wild’ follows this more direct route with punchy, breathy vocals and defiant blasts on the guitar. Haliniak’s playing strays into the gothic overtures of The Cure, allowing a melancholic beauty to swell around the lysergic ‘Sonic Flower Groove’ artistry. ‘The Cost Within’ takes all that was good from ’89 Memories’ and is between the paisley singles era of Stone Roses and The La’s to conjure the jingle-jangle moment of the year. All great shoegaze bands attempt to make coming-of-age records. It’s a default setting that all dreamers with pedals have. On ‘Special Place’ and ‘Stop the Time’, My Raining Stars enter said realm. The former opens with “There’s a place I know you’ve never seen”, from here on, Haliniak acts as the effortlessly cool friend who takes you to the best books, music and clothes. Sonically massive, spiritually pure, ‘Special Place’ hits hard with poignancy and, as the drums begin to close in on you like an anxiety dream, Haliniak’s solo heals with its divinity. ‘Stop the Time’ is steeped in rock ‘n’ roll desperation, of a longing to be heard. Haliniak’s ethereal vocals struggle to find space to breathe as the guitars come to the fore. It gives the song a cinematic quality, where the protagonists' arduous journey to triumph is against all odds. Manhattan’ close the album out with the finest Brian Jonestown Massacre homage written in a decade. Mid-paced, psych-guitar-driven tracks, beset with great drama, close out this album in the heroic style it richly deserves. What comes next for My Raining Stars must be word-of-mouth success. Accept the challenge and spread the love!" Mike Adams from Travellers Tunes

"All that’s good about classic indie pop can be found in this album. It’s a joy from start to finish. This is a record that jangles. It chimes. It helps you to feel good. It’s a happy reminder that, away from the Ed Sheerans, the Beyonces and the Taylor Swifts there’s a world of great music that’s just out of sight. It’s navigating its way around the pitfalls and obstructions of the music business hoping that the wheel of fortune stops where you can discover it.This is my favourite kind of indie. It’s music for the Beta male, shorn of bravado. It’s music that displays sensitivity but not self pity. It provokes empathy rather than a desire to avoid overwrought hysterics. It speaks to you calmly, not by shouting in your face. The Sarah and Creation record comparisons are apt and welcome. ‘For Good’ is like hearing early Teenage Fanclub all over again. There’s the beauty of shoegaze in ‘Stop The Time’. ‘Lovers’ has a yearning quality in the vocals that characterises the best of bands such as The Field Mice. Every track contains a great melody above the fuzz and reverb of the music. These are songs that don’t put a foot wrong. Thierry Haliniak, the man behind My Raining Stars, has delivered an album that’s full of the traditional indie spirit and willing to please. Let’s hear it for all bands keeping the indie flame flickering. But let’s hear it especially for My Raining Stars." Chris Week from Popintherealword

"Shimmering, silvery - indie guitarscapes - Songs of love and heartbreak. This is a passion project. It’s Thierry’s life, his thoughts, his dreams, his regrets turned into songs. The music is his emotions and story writ large on tape instead of a canvas. It’s a beautiful album and the haiku doesn’t do it justice." Ged Babey from Louderthanwar

"Third album from My Raining Stars, Momentum is a concentrate of indie pop that will delight all lovers of this music—noisy, melodic, and melancholic all at once. Never anachronistic or backward-looking, the ten songs on Momentum display a rare elegance. To be honest, before listening to Momentum, the third album by My Raining Stars, we didn’t know much about Thierry Haliniak, the discreet French musician who chose to hide behind this fake band name. But his songs, along with a bit of online research, were enough to convince us that we shared one thing in common: a near-obsessive love for a certain kind of pop—the kind that, in the late ’80s and early ’90s, intertwined noisy guitars and infectious melodies to perfection. Even before getting into the ten songs that make up Momentum, it's fair to say that Thierry Haliniak’s résumé is proof enough of his devotion to British indie pop. In the early ’90s, Haliniak was a member of Nothing To Be Done, a band that undoubtedly took its name from the opening track of Sittin’ Pretty, the cult album by The Pastels. Let’s also note that Nothing To Be Done opened for The Boo Radleys and Moose—bands that may be somewhat forgotten today but were absolutely essential at the time.Since then, when he's not involved with the band Meyverlin, Thierry Haliniak has been patiently crafting songs that are deeply rooted in this music from another era—back when people read Les Inrocks and Bernard Lenoir hosted his legendary show every evening on France Inter. Listening to Momentum for the first time is like rediscovering a music you know by heart, and it’s hard not to think of Slowdive, Ride, or Teenage Fanclub when discovering this album so clearly influenced by those bands. One can easily imagine repeated listens of Souvlaki, Nowhere, or Bandwagonesque slowly seeping into Thierry Haliniak’s mind, becoming part of him and unconsciously reemerging in his songwriting. But hesitant listeners, rest assured: Momentum never feels stale. While My Raining Stars clearly fits within a particular musical tradition, Thierry Haliniak is no imitator. Honest, humble, and sincere, his songs quickly establish themselves as genuine new building blocks in a structure started by others before him. Put simply, the songs on Momentum have more than enough charm to make a lasting impression. It only took a few listens to appreciate the full merits of “Special Time,” “Lovers,” or “Lost In The Wild” (one of the album’s high points). And if “Stop The Time” evokes Souvlaki-era Slowdive, the song is so strong it easily stands up to the comparison. As for the beautiful “Void,” it would’ve fit right in as a 7-inch single on Sarah Records. Like a novelist influenced by his reading, Thierry Haliniak fully embraces his connection to bands that have become essential references—many of whom continue to explore what appears to be an inexhaustible musical vein. But because Momentum is never a pale imitation, it can only be recommended to all lovers of this timeless British indie pop." Grégory Seyer from Benzine

"Well, someone knows exactly how to reel me in. You put a quote like “C86 meets Sarah Records meets Creation Records” and I’m there like a shot. Okay, like a shot might be overstating things, after all, My Raining Stars has been going since 1998, and this is my first encounter with them. Still, better late than never. The opener, “For Good” is everything that such a quote suggests it would be, a blend of spiralling guitars reminiscent of the likes of The Gigilo Aunts and a hazy, cosmic vibe that was just as gorgeous when The Church were belting it out in their early days. Ahh, to be young again! But Thierry Haliniak’s solo vehicle has many sonic facets, his inspirations and influences seem to wander through the expected shimmering post-punk pop sound but also spread out into neighboring territories. “Better Life,” for example, echoes with that same late eighties, pre-Brit-pop indie vibrant vibe as say, The Boo Radleys, a sound heralding what lay a few years down the road as the underground went overground and “The Cost Within” blends Byrdsian jangle with infectious pop grooves in the same way as the best Paisley Underground bands did. And then there are more ambient and elegant tracks such as “Void,” which proves that whilst the big riffs and indie-dance energies fuel many of the band’s songs, they are equally at home with understatement and restraint, similarly deft at blending the elegant and the eloquent. Okay, so I admit I am very late to the party, but now I’m here, and it is fair to say that this is a band whose praises I shall be shouting from the rooftops. Give Momentum a spin, and you will too."
Dave Franklin from The Big Takeover

"A little treat for your ears this weekend: the latest album by My Raining Stars—pure elegance in musical form. Released two months ago, I picked it up immediately, and it’s high time I mentioned it here on the blog. I was simply waiting for the… right momentum. First things first, the beautiful digipack design is a feast for the eyes, and the moment the CD starts spinning, your ears are instantly flattered. This sentiment is echoed by many well-regarded webzines, both French- and English-speaking. Addict Culture, The Big Take Over, Indieforbunnies, and J’aime Beaucoup Ce Que Vous Faites have all praised this fine album with enthusiasm—and rightfully so. The album rings out like classic Haliniak: a refined indie pop cocktail straight out of our beloved ’90s. And the man from Yonne isn’t shy about his influences—nor should he be. Doesn’t the record kick off like a modern-day Oasis before flirting with the likes of The Charlatans, Inspiral Carpets, Slowdive, and others from that golden era? But comparisons only go so far—Thierry has long proven his worth: several albums with My Raining Stars, two more with Meyverlin, and now Tales of Moon, a brand new project alongside Maud Anyways and Olivier Boutry (Ask The Light, Shoreline Stories). He’s in the zone, and he’s right to enjoy it—and to share it. MRS may shine in the wake of its illustrious British predecessors, sure, but rather than follow, it carves its own path. We're the ones doing the following. To call My Raining Stars’ heartfelt compositions a nostalgic plunge into the ’90s would be selling them short: this album is unmistakably modern—perhaps even timeless. And what’s more timeless than picking up a guitar and expressing your emotions with skill and subtlety, gently plucking the (sensitive) strings of the instrument? The album is dedicated to cherished loved ones, and Thierry shares more about this journey in a great interview (in English) with The Big Take Over. The record is released by the ever-vibrant and spot-on Brest-based label Too Good To Be True, which has been dropping gem after gem lately. Shelflife Records is also handling distribution across the Atlantic." Philippe Schiltz from Haar Brut

"I have a really broad music taste, as you may know, but also really have periods that I think back on more fondly, which will be different for everyone. The 90s full of Britpop is one of them. French musician Thierry Haliniak was part of that with the group Nothing To Be Done. They performed with Moose, The Boo Radleys and Adorable, among others. In 2022 came 89 Memories, it usually showcases moody blends of indie pop, dream pop, jangle pop and shoegaze, which nostalgically remind you of the early 90s. This time around, the third album Momentum is less of a long wait. Thierry (vocals, guitar, keyboards) is again assisted by Danish musician Casper Iskov (drums, bass, guitar, vocals, keyboards) and backing vocalist Rosanna Pang. With this, he delivers 10 new songs, which again go delightfully through the above genres. It has all become a bit louder and also more melancholic. This actually gives the music extra sparkle. Fans of Pale Saints, Slowdive, The Blue Aeroplanes, The Field Mice, R.E.M. and Sophia, among others, would do well to give this one a listen. I think it's their very best so far! )" Jan Willem Broek from Subjectivisten

"I've been reviewing the work of this French band, actually the work of one Thierry Haliniak, for quite some time (I think he's been at it since the late 90s), and he's released his last couple of records on the always reliable Shelflife label, at least here in America. On the first listen to the first cut, you'll hear echoes of classic labels like Sarah and Creation, and that's not a bad thing at all (I love those labels). Opening cut "For Good" has all the elements there, a bit of dream pop with elements of shoegaze tossed in and some good old-fashioned jangle pop for good measure. It's a fantastic song, as is the next one, "Better Life," which I hear a bit of the Stone Roses in. "The Cost Within" is speedier and more jangly, while "Stop the Time" heaps waves of distorted guitar in much the same way as Slowdive, and the wonderful "Void" goes way out with an acoustic guitar, bringing a nice change to the album. All in a day's work for My Raining Stars as momentum was certainly achieved on Momentum (hardy har har). " Tim Hinely from Dagger Zine

"Listening to My Raining Stars is a breath of fresh and romantic nostalgia. Their music is made up of chords and sounds that seem to echo the past, a fresh breeze that caresses the soul and transports us to the eternal nineties, with rain and melancholy dancing to the rhythm of their shoegazer guitars. On his new LP, Momentum, Thierry Haliniak has done it again: he puts us on a train without a timetable and takes us for a walk among the memories that peek out of the windows, with just the right electrical calculation to shake dreams and ignite the soul. There are 10 tracks that illuminate gray days and fan flames of what we once aspired to be and what we yearn for today more than ever." Alex Bueno from Sound And Vision

“Momentum” is a masterpiece, marvelously combining all the paradoxes of a music between elegance and noise, complex compositions and wild explosions. And when ambivalence has this kind of class, we ask for more." Yan Kouton from Indiepoprock

"Thierry Haliniak is someone who really knows what he is doing and he handles the guitar-pop-rock subject as Paul Newman handled the billiard cue in "The Swashbuckler". A writing that has always been personal, albeit indebted to the classics of Creation Records and Sarah Records, but we would like nothing more than that this is a negative point. The new effort under the name The Raining Stars is this "Momentum" where, I will tell you, it really seems that, at times, a fabulous 90s cut of the Britpop house emerges: it will be the super easy melodies, it will be those guitars, but really the thought flew to me when I was passionate about records made in the UK in the mid-90s, with all those formations that brought back the sound of guitars. For me britpop was freshness, it was incredible choruses, it was immediacy... well, all things that this "Momentum" has in abundance. I would see songs like "Lovers", "Lost In The Wild" or "For Good" really well coming out of a compilation of that era." Then of course, there is also the love for shoegaze: take for example "Stop The Time" or the final "Manhattan", which, with its epicness, seems to come from the pen of the duo Andy Bell and Mark Gardener, perhaps for the recordings of "Carnival Of Light". Thierry looks back and, with an eye to the past, writes songs that run perfectly even in the present. Moral of the story this album is beautiful, really beautiful and deserves applause." Riccardo Cavrioli from Indie For Bunnies

"The musician from Auxerre indulges his most personal inspirations on an album that may not shine with originality, but nevertheless sparkles with a thousand lights: sensitive, often melancholy melodies and dreamy guitar strings give this record a very British flavour that betrays the musician's influences." Olivier Henry from Sun Burns Out

"Momentum, released in March 2025 is a modern shoegaze sound with 80s wave guitar lines and well-composed songs. They stay true to their shoegaze roots while bringing dream pop melodies. The album has excellent production with lush hypnotic sounds and is the most memorable song writing to-date by the band" Nathan Rose from Pow Magazine

"Momentum gives the impression of listening to an imaginary best of of the music that obsesses its author. From old-school indie pop (Better Life and its bass reminiscent of early Ride tracks), to shoegaze (Stop The Time), via a few borrowings from Oasis (For Good, well done to you Noel Gallagher!), each track grabs you with its immediacy and sincerity"
David Jegou from Section26.

"For Good is the first single from My Raining Stars forthcoming Momentum album that will be released on Shelflife Records on 21 March 2025 and is the perfect example of a sound that has always claimed the musical hinterland between Creation Records style guitar incessance and the most jangly end of Shoegaze." Darrin Lee from Janglepophub

“For Good” is a blast of big hooks and sweeping choruses. The song is one you want to have blasting out of your car speakers (or standing right in front while they are on stage), songs like this are why you fall in love with music in the first place. Let’s bring on Momentum!" Tim Hinely from Dagger Zine

"For Good picks up where MRS last left off. Not losing any momentum and keeping the jangle and songwriting focused. For Good is less melancholy but there is still that tug on the heart strings. Speaking of strings the guitars sound a little edgier than the previous songs in the link above. A 90’s alternative rock sound, a little drone, and of course brit pop. So if you love sounds like that (literally think of several Creation bands and similar) you may find this single to take you back to simpler times." John Desmet from Meatsheetfanzine

"The first taste is the excellent ‘For Good’, which has almost a mid-90s Oasis feel to it: guitar pop at its best. Catchy and robust." Riccardo Cavrioli from Indie For Bunnies

"For good: Creation Records has sown well; a rainy spring; ringing guitars." Manfredi Lamartina from Shoegaze Blog

“Stop The Time”, a stirring, immersive dive into “Dream-Gaze” soundscapes à la Slowdive.Encompassed by the inability to let go, a slow enveloping sprawl of reverberating wailing guitars, underlaid by steady drum beats and meandering bass pulses, embroider endless sparkling ripples of ringing sadness, layered with refracting fuzzed-out dewdrops, making their way through the grey mists, to lightly engulf emotional pain-filled vocals, releasing melancholy, anxiety, and aching cries, as a loved one grows frail and begins to pass away." Fabrizio Lusso from White Light / White Heat

“Stop The Time” is a real shoegaze treat. The track is full of Slowdive-style melancholy and creeping guitars, in which the superb voice of Thierry Haliniak gracefully evolves, once again confirming his undeniable talent as a songwriter.." Olivier Boutry from Darkglobe

"For good:. Creation Records has sown well; a rainy spring; ringing guitars." Manfredi Lamartina from Shoegazeblog.com

"What struck me upon first listening was a blend of strength and clarity. The sound is sharper, denser, more “rock.” From the very first track on the album, the powerful For Good, whose intro recalls Oasis's Morning Glory, the guitars crack and swirl. Far from being left behind, My Raining Stars’ early loves—broadly speaking, britpop and shoegaze—are even more strongly affirmed here. You can hear echoes of Ride on the remarkable Lovers (originally intended as a B-side), a pop song with a fairly classic structure and lovely keyboards. Slowdive makes an appearance in the saturated, vaporous guitars of the poignant Stop the Time. The intro of Special Place is a clear homage to Daddy’s Gone by Glasvegas, a track that holds a special place in Thierry’s personal musical pantheon. Oasis looms again in the vocal melody of the baggy-style Better Life, with its “yeah yeah yeah”s.One of Momentum’s standout qualities lies in the power of its melodies—strong and haunting. Special Place, for instance, lingers in the mind and is easily hummed—two clear signs of a great song, in my view. The vocals, which once tended to fade behind layers of reverb, are now more direct, more clear. It was Casper Iskov who encouraged Thierry Haliniak down this path (and voice). Some tracks, like Special Place, are real acts of courage, the singing a true feat, a risky endeavor for someone who readily admits he’s not a natural-born singer (“I’m neither Brett Anderson nor Morrissey,” he says). As a result, the lyrics are easier to hear. They reveal personal facets of the songwriter quite openly. Long walks in the forest with his dog Raban are evoked in Special Place, an older song that also celebrates the natural world he loves to retreat into: “I love walking with her into my wilderness, these are the happiest moments of my life I must confess. The passage of time, and the wish to stop it to preserve moments shared with loved ones, appears in Stop the Time: “But I know that I can’t stop the time and change the course of nature’s law, I won’t let you go.” The emptiness and irreparable pain of losing a loved one is laid bare in Void: I don’t know how to live without you, you still haunt my dreams, those pics remind me of what I’ve lost, I feel a void inside my heart.” Melancholy, always a dominant theme in My Raining Stars’ repertoire, plays a major role here. It’s present in the somber ballad Stop the Time, then fully blossoms in the heart-wrenching Void, written in memory of Thierry’s late younger sister—perhaps my favorite track. A stunning melody carried by acoustic guitar, elevated and softened by Rosanna Pang’s backing vocals, all wrapped around raw, deeply touching lyrics delivered with a clear, unaffected voice. But luminous pop also finds its place on the shimmering Disappeared, where Thierry, Casper Iskov, and Rosanna Pang’s airy, soothing harmonies blend beautifully. Thierry Haliniak’s pure pop side shines through on The Cost Within, a song dedicated to his father. Momentum might just be the album of maturity—that stage of life where you allow yourself to push beyond your limits, even ignore them, because there’s nothing left to lose. It’s a time when you can return to the artistic universe you’ve patiently built over the years and savor the present moment. Without marking a complete break, Momentum offers a broader musical palette than previous albums. There’s a denser, more polished sound, more confident vocals, and lyrics that are more direct and profound. These could well be the keys that unlock new perspectives, new song styles—even a new momentum—for My Raining Stars." Marianne Vergé from Addict Culture

"Lovers of British pop from the eighties and nineties, pay attention! In case you don't know them, you have to listen to My Raining Stars. Thierry is back at the fray, this time accompanied by the Danish musician Casper Iskov, without too many aspirations of success but with great arguments to achieve it, with guitars placed at the center of everything, navigating both the neat lines of Johnny Marr (Smiths) and the brutalization of Andy Bell (Ride), and a distant and immobile voice fills the album with that mysterious aura that we haven't heard for years. But let's get down to business, because when we put the needle in the grooves we have the first pleasant surprise when we listen to "For Good", with its poppy and dark tone, to continue with "Better Life" that could fit perfectly into the transition period of the early nineties in the middle of the germ of the Brit-Pop. Then "Momentum" gives the entrance to one of their best songs. We are talking about "Special Place": melodic, romantic, bittersweet and well-deserved first single from the album. "The Cost Within", drinks from the Smiths without disguise and could have been perfectly signed by one of the infinite disciples of the Manchester band, The Pain Of Being Pure At Heart. The catchy melodies are back with "Lost In THe Wild" and with "Disappeared" they sneak us in a sweet mid-tempo. But we also find doses of pure shoegaze, with the floating "Stop The Time" not missing from the distorted guitar mattress and with the final "Manhattan" worthy of Slowdive themselves. My Raining Stars are highly recommended, they play in a different dimension from the current indie rock bands. It is the dimension of the Cocteau Twins, The Stone Roses, The Auteurs, Gene, Ride, The House Of Love or even the "ausies" The Goo Betweens. What happens is that unlike all those, their arrival has been timeless, which they make up for with high doses of nostalgia and a pleasant warmth in their songs. Don't miss them." Àlex Guimerà from El Giradiscos

"Without ever falling into the trap of merely imitating the bands that once lit up the golden mornings of '90s pop, My Raining Stars cradles us with melodies and irresistibly catchy choruses, just like in the heyday of Britpop. The airy guitars sweep us into a delicate downpour of pop riffs — at times echoing new wave and cold wave — an indie dream pop sound made in France, yet one that feels as though it came straight from across the Channel. While so many pop songs pass us by without leaving a trace, these ones are impossible to forget. Each track stands out in its own way, with special mention to the moving “Stop the Time” and “Void,” the gem “For Good” — a track that wouldn’t feel out of place in Oasis’s discography — “The Cost Within,” where the ghosts of The Cure seem to rise, and “Better Life” & “Special Place,” for their evocative bass lines and sense of longing for somewhere else. Thierry Haliniak’s voice is pure and magnetic, layered over stunning lyrics — all written in English by Thierry himself, who also composed the entire album. There’s that extra spark, that elusive something only the finest singer-songwriters possess: the ability to convey a restrained melancholy, always present but never overstated — far from the syrupy sentimentality some might fall into. Listening to Momentum is like stepping into saudade, that mysterious emotion where nostalgia meets the quiet hope of recovering something lost. “Music expresses that which cannot be said, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flowing from heaven to the soul.”This anonymous quote finds its full meaning in the music of My Raining Stars. This shower of stars truly flows from the sky to our souls — to bring us peace." Katia Royère De Bastiani from Bibliothèque Haute Vienne

"With Momentum, their brand-new album, My Raining Stars further cements their unique place in the French indie scene. Still loyal to their britpop influences, this time they bring in more ethereal, shoegaze-tinged nuances. The elegant production by Casper Iskov gives the album a remarkable sense of cohesion." Nicolas Foucault from JBCQVF