cLOUDDEAD – cLOUDDEAD

I love this album. Odd nosdam's sample-based instrumentals are absolutely beautiful, Especially throughout both parts of "Apt.A" and "JimmyBreeze". each track is broken up into 3 or 4 sections, making individual track review difficult. However, I'll try my best. "Apt.A" part 1 starts with a beautiful ambient pad that fades out to introduce another pad. A lo-fi drum break is introduced as Yoni Wolf and Doseone give their stream-of-conciousness rap styles. Eventually, the vocals, breaks, and pad fade away to introduce the third part, comprised of another ambient pad and drum break. The rapper Illogic is brought in for a verse, as he wraps about the ozone layer and religion. Doseone and Yoni share another verse, as the track ends with a sampled piano line. "Apt. A" part 2 begins with a beautiful ambient pad that becomes accompanied by a drum break and strange vocals. The third part, comprised of another pad and break, is broken up by a strange noise section. This third part also containes a sample of a blender being played like an instrument. "And All You Can Do Is Laugh" part 1 begins with multilayered vinyl drone samples and strange vocals. This part continues and Dose and Yoni rap about presidents who have died. A second part is introduced by a strange movie sample and drone sample. Dose and Yoni rap over a drone and drum break, until the track ends with an unsettling scream. "And All You Can Do Is Laugh" part 2 begins with a bass sample from vinyl. Dose and Yoni dont appear on this track. Instead, the vocals are chopped up samples from vinyl. Later in the track, an aggressive cello sample plays over slightly unsettling movie samples. The track ends with cheesy 80's keyboard sample. "I Promise Never To Get Paint On My Glasses Again" part 1 is the most hip-hop of any track on this album. It starts with a vinyl piano sample as Yoni and Dose give their trademark strange raps. A sped-up rap is played over a strangely looped vinyl break. Sole is brought onto this track, and raps over the stand-out second hald of this track. An amazing sample from Moddy Blues' "Nights in White Satin" as the three rappers exchange lines. "I Promise Never To Get Paint On My Glasses Again" part 2 is an extremely strange track. Dose and Yoni's raps are brought down to a dull roar, as Odd Nosdam's ambient production leads the track. Unsettling drones and subtle vocal chanting make up the instrumental. "JimmyBreeze" part 1 starts with a recording of a prank call over stange sounds and bongo beats. Eventually, the prank call sample disappears and Nosdam's trademark lo-fi ambience is introduced, as Yoni and Dose rap. The track ends with a beautiful sample of Timeless by John Abercrombie. An amazingly dreamy guitar sample builds the end of the piece. A fast drum break is played over it, then a synthesizer sample, then finally Yoni starts singing in falsetto. It's possibly my favorite part of the wole album, it's extremely dreamy and strange. "JimmyBreeze" part 2 continues the prank call from the previous track. Yoni takes the lead, and produced my favorite vocal track on the entire album. The instrumental introduces different drone samples and downtempo breaks, eventually breaking down into one multilayered, beautiful sound that ends the track. "Clouddead number Five" is entirely instrumental throughout both part 1 and part 2, displaying Odd Nosdam's talent for producing. Both tracks consist of multilayered drone samples that remind me heavily of Boards of Canada. Hell, the last section of part 2 sounds like something exactly off of "The Campfire Headphase", even though that came out years later. The last two tracks are the strangest. "Bike" part 1 begins with stupid moaning noises from our lovable MCs, and leads into a strange dancey sample with rapping over it. The second section features another drum break and drone sample, but this time the rapper's vocals are entirely in reverse. An extremely reverberated sample of Yoni and Dose singing. The last section of this track is beautiful, containing sample of what sounds like a Xylophone being played while Dose and Yoni rap about a dead dog. "Bike" part 2 begins with vocal recordings and an acapella of just Yoni and Dose rapping. The second section contains multi-layered and fast rapping over a sad ambient sample and drum break. A sample of what sounds like a train taking off is played. The album ends with an acoustic guitar sample and our MC's rap-singing about mother nature and the physics of a bicycle. This album is one of my favorites, definitely check it out and see if its for you

beautiful....awe inspiring ambient landscapes, dirty drum breaks, lyrics in every sort of voice imaginable, and creativity around every corner...cLOUDDEAD is anything and everything that ever graced the world of sound, and should have a place in everyone's record collection.

This record didn't excite or inspire me in the slightest. I'm embarrassed to own it. Buck 65 or Alias are far better in my opinion. The lyrics on this may very well be amazing but the voices are really annoying and the prodution isn't half as good as people make it out to be. Take the nasty record away!

The future of hip hop is here and it´s cLOUDDEAD. There is not an emotion left unturned when I listen to this album. Apt A. is one of the greatest hip hop tracks I´ve ever had the good fortune to listen to...a stroke of mad genius using a food processor as a scratching instrument and the melancholy vocals add an awesome depth too.