| The avant hip-hop collective cLOUDEAD, recently released their long awaited follow up album, Ten. They make hip-hop but I'm not talking battle rhymes or bragging about material worth, this is surreal melodic poetry accompanied by downtempo soundscapes. Musically, they share much in common with Boards of Canada, which could be why cLOUDEAD chose the elusive Scottish duo to provide a remix for Dead Dogs Two, the first single taken from the album. The main difference between the two groups is obviously the inclusion of vocals, which are ably provided by Doseone and why?. Their unique brand of vocal interplay and surreal poetry provoke the mind into creating equally surreal and vivid images. Thankfully it's not just surreal for the sake of it, the lyrics tackle politics and provide social commentary and even the most fantastic lyrics are based on some natural occurrence, experienced or witnessed by someone within the group. The most important thing to remember is that no matter how surreal the lyrics get, they still retain a sense of reality and relevance. The music that accompanies the lyrics is every bit as creative and exciting and manages to include many different influences into the mix. Even though cLOUDEAD are similar in sound to Boards of Canada, they don't limit themselves in the same way to just an arsenal of electronic sounds. Noises ranging from Beach Boys inspired vocal harmonies to Aphex Twin style beat-bleep mayhem and even (almost) straight up rock can be found on Ten. "Pop Song," the first track on the album, is a perfect example of how the different styles help create something unique and exciting. It starts simply enough with downtempo beats and subtle instrumentation. But as cLOUDEAD take you along this strange path, they introduce you to more unusual sounds and before you know it you're surrounded by a crescendo of euphoric electronic tones and pulses. It's moments like this when I find myself rewinding the CD just to find that nugget, to experience it again. The album is littered with moments like this, moments that make you feel something. - The Beat Surrender |
1XLP/Out Of Print