Description
#clouddead #vinyl #vinylrecords
An eminent forerunner of cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop, and hauntology genres, cLOUDDEAD carved a distinct niche within the underground music scene with their eponymous debut album. The trio comprising Why?, Doseone, and Odd Nosdam, all contributed to crafting a collection that perfectly embodies a melange of rhythmic beat-suites and eccentric lyricism. Spanning across three LPs, the album comes as an intricate labyrinth of a vital sub-genre that would be emulated profusely for over two decades.
If one digs deep into the backdrop that facilitated cLOUDDEAD’s emergence, it hinges coherently with Cincinnati’s thriving music hub during late 20th century. An annual assemblage of DJs, graffiti artists, and B-boys known as Scribble Jam channelled the vibrant dynamics of its hip-hop scene. Though the band expeditiously relocated to the Bay Area co-founding the Anticon collective, the essence of their Midwestern origins earnestly resonated in their early compositions. These heartfelt derivatives eventually formed the core ethos of their much-acclaimed initial discography.
Every side of the cLOUDDEAD album represents a chasm of cosmic imagery; each elusive 10 inches represents a universe within itself. The opening performances, “Apt. A” and “And All You Can Do Is Laugh”, hand out the most quintessential representation of the cLOUDDEAD experience. The lyrical genius of Why? and Dose craft an innovative language, encapsulating abundant free associations, sing-along non-choruses, and engaging call-and-response hooks. Concurrently, Nosdam’s adept production oscillates within the enigmatic universe of Flying Saucer Attack, Ohio Player’s spry drum loops, and offbeat movie excerpts.
This rich concord of eccentric elements portrays cLOUDDEAD as a fresh rendition of hip hop that transcends the borders of surrealism. It stands out as an avant-garde intersection of William Basinski’s sonic “Disintegration Loops” and MF Doom’s cryptic “Operation: Doomsday”. Achieving this with a minimal setup involving a Dr. Sample SP-202, a Tascam cassette eight-track, and a budget RadioShack microphone posits a testament to the group’s ingenuity and artistic sensibilities.
While the genesis of the band’s name remains elusive, being a product of a juvenile knock-knock joke, their idiosyncratic sound entrenched in traditional hip-hop has made massive reverberations in the music industry. Their oeuvre, tinged with elements from ambient, indie rock, and psychedelic music, broke the rigid confines of typical genres. Their intriguing sonic experimentations resulted in a self-titled album in 2001, amassing six 10-inch singles that showcased the vivid spectrum of their sound and further consolidated their unique position in the music scene.
As evident from the sleeve of their single hit “Dead Dogs Two”, the musical voyage of cLOUDDEAD culminated with “Ten” in 2004, marking the end of their production as a group. However, their inherent creativity and experimental audacity continue to inspire budding musicians of diverse genres like Kid Cudi and Joey Bada$$. Restored by Nosdam for posterity, their eponymous debut album manifests as a timeless testament to their burgeoning legacy in the fascinating world of music.
