Crack Cloud is not what you should consider a regular band. A self-described ‘mixed media collective’, they take shape as a fluid collective of numerous individuals from Alberta, Canada wi...
Crack Cloud is not what you should consider a regular band. A self-described ‘mixed media collective’, they take shape as a fluid collective of numerous individuals from Alberta, Canada with different backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints.
The band’s sound takes shape as a collage-like construction of rhythm, melody and groove. The results are quirky, pungent songs filled with adventurous spirit and dipped in a healthy dose of post-punk in the vein of early Talking Heads and Gang of Four, together with a groove that rivals Fela Kuti. Crack Cloud are not mindlessly nostalgic of what has come before, though: they don’t hark back to the past, but build on musical elements of previous decades to construct something radically new, with a gaze still set firmly on the future.
Having recently combined their two previous EP’s into their first self-titled LP, Crack Cloud chronicles their own growth and development into what they are today. Lyrically, the band has moved from tackling the bigger issues in life on their first EP to dealing with more personal ones on the second. Taking on subjects like identity, history and humanity, Crack Cloud show no hesitation to be vulnerable, and members describe the collective as a rehabilitation outlet, creating music for themselves in the first place.
Swish Swash
One of the purest distillation of Crack Cloud’s sound and aesthetic comes in the form of ‘Swish Swash’: a track with an undeniable groove and hypnotic drumming that will only immerse you more as the track goes on. The twangy, screechy guitars and matter-of-fact vocal style add to an atmosphere of alienation, while the accompanying video is filled with self-deprecating humor and wit. The strong visual style, depicting band members in various absurd and exaggerated circumstances - intercut with illustrations of religious imagery and pop-culture figures - reinforces their goal of providing a holistic visual and aural experience.
Crack Cloud perform at Le Guess Who? 2018 together with a.o. The Breeders, Bo Ningen, Circuit des Yeux, FACS, Mudhoney, Colin Stetson, Greg Fox, Quadrinity, Kikagaku Moyo, Psychic Ills, and many more.
