Hint

Hint is a French experimental noise group from Angers, active since 1994. The group is formed by Arnaud Fournier, Hervé Thomas and Pascal Ianigro, with Ianigro joining after the group begins as a sound engineer from Studio Karma.

Style and musical approach

Hint works across free jazz, industrial, noise, post-rock and rock, and its music also incorporates electronic and ethnic elements. The band is associated with an experimental noise scene and is noted for a sound that shifts between aggressive textures and more free-form jazz passages. The last record, Wu-Wei, includes particularly strong free jazz elements.

Releases

Between 1994 and 1999, Hint releases 100% White Puzzle in 1995, Product Topology in 1996, Dys in 1996 and Wu-Wei in 1998. Product Topology is a remix album based on 100% White Puzzle and appears on vinyl only in a run of 500 copies. Three of those remixes also appear on Dys. The band also works with Portobello Bones and Ouled El Rai, which leads to the album 6 songs in 1997.

Collaborations and related releases

Hint appears three times on Portobello Amigos, on the tracks Sixed as a reprise of Guzzard, Alleged as a reprise of Unsane, and Hod as a reprise of Distorted Pony. The group also appears on the split single Committed/No Soulwith with Unsane.

Status and later activity

Since 1999, Hint has a dormant or inactive status rather than issuing a regular stream of new releases. Arnaud Fournier later becomes a member of La Phaze, while Hervé Thomas also joins Fragile, Urawa and Dead Hollywood Stars.