To be honest, the only reason I decided to check this group out at first was their name – as well as the name of their album. It forces you to lift your eyes and elevate your imagination. It sounded to me like the kind of album that could take you somewhere. I would have to say, it doesn’t disappoint in that category.
The psychedelic indie rock quartet out of Sydney, Australia has supported stellar acts such as Arcade Fire, Weezer, Foo Fighters, Vampire Weekend, The Temper Trap, and Local Natives. Don’t get me wrong, though – their style is completely their own. Having all grown up in the Blue Mountains, when the future Cloud Control members started talking to each other it led to the decision to enter their first “Battle of the Bands.” After going on to record a debut album together in 2010 titled Bliss Release, they released their sophomore effort Dream Cave this past August.
The dreamy lead single “Dojo Rising” offers a chill vibe that sounds like it’s being performed in a chamber. The song starts with haunting harmonies that make way for the soaring keyboard, while reverb-soaked guitar hovers over diminished piano chords that meld beautifully with the machine-like cadence of the drums.
A few of the tracks (“Promises” for example) carry a vintage feel that encapsulates a sort of “oldies” sound (a la the keyboard and guitar hooks) with unfiltered vocal harmonies. One of my favorite tracks, “Moon Rabbit,” features harmonies so soothing and exquisite even The Mamas & The Papas would nod their heads and smile.
Listening through the entire album truly makes one feel as though they’re sailing through a dream cave where everything’s smooth, and nothing happens too suddenly. Songs like “Scar” feature Cloud Control’s emotion-heavy lyrics with music you’ll still want dance to: “I’ve got a lump in my throat from letting you in my mind. There’s still a hope in my heart that somehow we’ll never die.”
The album ends with the title track, which leaves frontman Alister Wright crooning “All I could do is dream of you darling… I’m in a dream cave…” I will grant them this, if you’re wanting a departure from the vast majority of the sounds being released these days, it’s a wonderful change of pace. Dream Cave couldn’t end any better than it does, with the final 2:50 providing a flawless decrescendo that will leave you wondering whether the last 45 minutes really happened or was simply all a dream.
Capturing elements from a couple different decades, Cloud Control’s recipe for indie rock stands out from the rest. You probably won’t see them performing on some late night talk show any time soon, nor will they be everyone’s cup of tea, but you owe this album a listen.
Rating: 4/5