One thing I really admire about The Administration here at AMG is their willingness to allow us writers to explore what exists on the fringes of metal. Some of my most memorable finds over the years—before the onset of my indentured servitude—have carried tags like not-metal, folk, or synth wave. Norwegian musical collective Cloud People claim to draw inspiration from jazz, electronica, and metal, and have decided to submit their album Simulacra to these hallowed halls for mild praise or summary execution. I generally approve of genre-bending in my music, but the danger lies in making sure that the end result feels cohesive and not simply a mashup for mashup’s sake. A word to the wise: what follows is neither angry nor particularly metal. If this doesn’t send you running for the door I invite you to don a tinfoil hat and keep an eye on the skies with Simulacra.
Simulacra is an instrumental album for all intents and purposes; the only credited vocals are wordless harmonies on “Area 91” and a series of samples—of unconfirmed authenticity—contributing to the overall theme of conspiracies and UFO lore. Jazz fusion and synthwave are the primary styles herein, but the latter forms the backbone of the music. Boasting two different synth players and a keyboardist who doubles on saxophone—essentially a trve instrument these days—the majority of the musical material here is delivered via waves and swells. There are echoes of Vangelis and Tangerine Dream in the patch choices; buzzy, distending tones that threaten to overpower the texture before receding into the background (“Intro,” “Chemtrails”). Notably, there is no credited bass player, as the rhythm section seems to consist of drummer Fredrik Mekki Widerøe, guitarist Morten Olsen, and the odd synth player whose left hand is free to add some low end to the riff. This is no discredit to the band, indeed the opposite; the driving, pulsating grooves of the drum kit and low synths provide propulsion for practically the entire album.
For what seems to be a debut album, there are a lot of elements clicking for Cloud People. The aforementioned rhythm section delivers funk-inflected grooves and washy half-time rhythms that keep the music prickly and vibrant (“Chemtrails,” “Area 91,” “Project Blue Beam”). A couple of these tracks even veer into a sonic territory I can only describe as Flight of the Conchords sans vocals, which I think is more a compliment than a detraction (“Pandora’s Hoax,” “Element 115”). Cloud People do an admirable job of sticking to their conceit; this album leans hard into conspiracy theories from UFO coverup (“Area 91”), to one-world religion (“Project Blue Beam”), and the always entertaining lizard-people (“Pandora’s Hoax”). Add that to the ubiquitous synths and the funky jam-band rhythm section, Simulacra is a chimera of a musical experience that makes for an entertaining, tongue-in-cheek listen.
While the opening two tracks prove Cloud People can find a deep pocket to work their magic, subsequent tunes fail to provide variety, and this is Simulacra’s downfall. For a band with multiple keyboardists, it seemed I was hearing synth patches from the same family over and over again. I felt the same about the drum parts as well; professionally executed—these are great grooves—but consistently staying in the same, safe zone. Except closer “Cover Up,” a refreshingly uptempo number, Simulacra exists in this mid-tempo trance that blurs the definition between it’s individual parts. Tracks whose repetitive riffs should evoke hypnosis end up sounding more jam band than fusion (“Hollow Moon,” “Element 115”). The spoken word samples do a nice job of breaking up the homogeneity—“Project Blue Beam” especially—but one can’t help but think more vocals or different lead instruments may have brought more depth to the picture. Normally a 44-minute LP should land right in the runtime sweet spot, but without differentiation in instrumentation, tempo or song construction the album feels like it’s run out of ideas well before it’s finished.
I’ve come away from Simulacra with a lot of hope for Cloud People. They’re competent musicians capable of constructing infectious rhythm-driven compositions, with a clear vision of their desired sound world. The next step is broadening that world and bolstering their musical toolbox; throwing in some metal wouldn’t hurt either. Until then, fans of synthwave, jazz fusion, or those needing a break from croaks and brees might take a look into this album, you may be surprised at what you find.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kb/s mp3
Label: Apollon Records | Bandcamp
Websites: facebook.com | Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: March 1, 2024
