"The funny thing with “chillwave” is that, as a personal preference, the less “chill” it is the more I seem to enjoy it. Ambient music is all fine and dandy, but often times the artists in the genre let their music float around without aim or direction. Not only do the songs feel a bit limp because of it, but some are so intent on their ambient-ness that it’s easy to forget they’re even playing.
It’s nice and noteworthy, then, when artists take inspiration from the sounds of “chillwave” and inject muscle within the instrumentation to make the tracks come alive. Such is the case of Barcelona’s Lenticular Clouds. The project, a personal affair by 28 year-old Albert Zaragoza, is unabashed in its embrace of the genre, taking cues from the likes of Washed Out or “Causers Of This”-era Toro Y Moi, but ultimately making the sounds his own by pulling harder-hitting punches.
One way he manages to do so is with his percussive choices. On tracks like “Supergravedad”(“Supergravity”) the drums, which sound like live ones – though I’m not sure they are – are mixed much higher in the mix, giving the song a fresh rush of blood every time the bass drum hits. And while the drums provide a steady backbone, the flesh and skin – that is, the instrumentation – is what really makes the song stand out and come alive. The synths are incredibly glitchy, coming in and out at and in odd intervals – but never really off-tempo, and creating just enough of a melody for the track to remain memorable. In fact, it takes a good bit of practice to stop worrying that your speakers have actually broken.
“Hermanos Humanos” (“Human Brothers”), like “Supergravedad”, is a standout from“Ciencia/Conciencia” (“Science/Conscience”), Lenticular Clouds’ first full album. Shorter and decidedly more upbeat, the synths remain glitchy as they swirl in and out of the mix creating the sounds that I might imagine a Miró painting might sounds like, if that makes any sense – individually the pieces don’t really make sense but together it all somehow does.
That debut album seems, in and of itself, a journey through a drugged-up space and time with plenty of sonic soundscapes to account for all sorts of moods and textures, as well as his predecessors in the field. “Multiverso” (“Multiverse”), one of the few tracks to feature anything resembling a vocal (other than the recorded speech samples) actually calls to mind somethingAnimal Collective might have done on “Merriweather Post Pavillion”, considered by many to be a landmark in its style. To my humble ears, “Multiverso” could have fit right up there with the best of it, no questions asked.
Other than “Ciencia/Conciencia”, Lenticular Clouds has also recently put out an EP titled“Universal Geometry” (listen here), which continues to explore the textures that were present in his first work. The title track is decidedly groovy, reminiscent of the more upbeat parts John Talabot‘s “fin”, albeit a little brighter. They’re both from Barcelona, so that could be a clear connection.
For now, Albert Zaragoza’s project is starting to make a name for itself, having been confirmed for Spain’s leading electronic festival, Sónar, alongside the likes of Hot Chip, New Order orJames Murphy, to name a few.. So props to him!" (listenbeforeyoubuy.net)
It’s nice and noteworthy, then, when artists take inspiration from the sounds of “chillwave” and inject muscle within the instrumentation to make the tracks come alive. Such is the case of Barcelona’s Lenticular Clouds. The project, a personal affair by 28 year-old Albert Zaragoza, is unabashed in its embrace of the genre, taking cues from the likes of Washed Out or “Causers Of This”-era Toro Y Moi, but ultimately making the sounds his own by pulling harder-hitting punches.
One way he manages to do so is with his percussive choices. On tracks like “Supergravedad”(“Supergravity”) the drums, which sound like live ones – though I’m not sure they are – are mixed much higher in the mix, giving the song a fresh rush of blood every time the bass drum hits. And while the drums provide a steady backbone, the flesh and skin – that is, the instrumentation – is what really makes the song stand out and come alive. The synths are incredibly glitchy, coming in and out at and in odd intervals – but never really off-tempo, and creating just enough of a melody for the track to remain memorable. In fact, it takes a good bit of practice to stop worrying that your speakers have actually broken.
“Hermanos Humanos” (“Human Brothers”), like “Supergravedad”, is a standout from“Ciencia/Conciencia” (“Science/Conscience”), Lenticular Clouds’ first full album. Shorter and decidedly more upbeat, the synths remain glitchy as they swirl in and out of the mix creating the sounds that I might imagine a Miró painting might sounds like, if that makes any sense – individually the pieces don’t really make sense but together it all somehow does.
That debut album seems, in and of itself, a journey through a drugged-up space and time with plenty of sonic soundscapes to account for all sorts of moods and textures, as well as his predecessors in the field. “Multiverso” (“Multiverse”), one of the few tracks to feature anything resembling a vocal (other than the recorded speech samples) actually calls to mind somethingAnimal Collective might have done on “Merriweather Post Pavillion”, considered by many to be a landmark in its style. To my humble ears, “Multiverso” could have fit right up there with the best of it, no questions asked.
Other than “Ciencia/Conciencia”, Lenticular Clouds has also recently put out an EP titled“Universal Geometry” (listen here), which continues to explore the textures that were present in his first work. The title track is decidedly groovy, reminiscent of the more upbeat parts John Talabot‘s “fin”, albeit a little brighter. They’re both from Barcelona, so that could be a clear connection.
For now, Albert Zaragoza’s project is starting to make a name for itself, having been confirmed for Spain’s leading electronic festival, Sónar, alongside the likes of Hot Chip, New Order orJames Murphy, to name a few.. So props to him!" (listenbeforeyoubuy.net)
