Dream Cave - Cloud Control - Album Review

Cloud Control exploded on the Australian music scene with their 2010 debut album Bliss Release. Filled with catchy songs infused with a unique folk/psychedelic mix, Bliss Release proved to be one of the standout releases of that year. The success of the album propelling the Blue Mountains four piece across the country to music festivals, tours, and international attention.

The now London-based quartet are back with another album set to woo and fill the three year void. Yet those expecting another sunny-filled, folk, psychedelic trip might not get what they’re looking for here. The new album Dream Cave is Cloud Control’s step in a darker direct for the band.

You’ve probably heard Dream Cave’s lead single Dojo Rising by now, and it’s a good taste of things to come from the lengthy 11-track album. With a rather catch chorus that goes “Give it to me easy/Give it to me hard/Just wanna get, get, get lit, yeah/ Then I’m gonna break your heart/Should have probably told you from the start/But I’m lazy and I don’t want anything”, Dojo Rising is as about as cheery as it gets on the album, (though Moonrabbit shows a few rays of Bliss Release’s charm).

And much like on their debut album vocal duties are shared between Alister Wright and Heidi Lenffer, which provide an interesting dynamic on top of the already unique folk psychedelia. Dream Cave also explores the group’s use of synths and bass to produce a spookier gloomy sound, most notably and appropriately used on the song Tombstone.

Towards the middle the album slows down just a bit with two slower songs back-to-back Island Living and The Smoke, The Feeling showcasing a few hits of dream pop here and there. The album drones along before being picked by Scar, a rather upbeat song with some moody (near emo) lyrics to contrast, “Its just so hard/Even if I try”.

Cloud Contol’s new darker direction isn’t all a bad thing; rather it shows off the bands ability to explore new territories, working with new sounds, genres, and more. They’re not doing the same thing over and over, and that’s a good thing.

For fans of Cloud Control, Dream Cave brings out more from the band we know and love already. For new comers, its a solid album that delves into the emo side in all of us. Again - not necessary a bad thing.

Standout tracks include Dojo Rising, Promises, Moonrabbit, and Scar.

7.5/10

You can catch the band live in Sydney on the 12th of September.

You can win a copy of the album from us here: http://on.fb.me/16ziA3z

By Roger Ma

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