Clouds: Spat (Channel Zero)

Finnish quasi-dubstep duo Clouds released this off-kilter single on Channel Zero in the spring, and it’s an odd one that references the “dub” in dubstep as much as the “step.” The bassline of the title cut is pure dub, a nice, deep sub-bass that buoys the mix. Overhead the sounds are less easy to pigeonhole, with computer bleeps weaving in and out of woozy pads and square chords. It never jumps headlong into the more bleepy sound of acts like Zomby, but it also doesn’t pledge a strict allegiance to any of the trends it may be referencing. But there’s something infectious about its plodding bassline and weird arrangement that keep me coming back time and time again. “Era Of Black Holes, Pt. 2” is a different sound, falling closer to the drunken downtempo of an act like Montgomery Clunk or Lukid, with bent chords and stumbling drum loops. (As far as I know, “Pt. 1” is unreleased as of yet, though I’m curious to hear what it sounds like.) Much like the first track, it evolves with time to be much more clever and complex than it may seem at first blush, especially when a weird arpeggio lead takes center stage. The two tracks don’t seem to relate to one another really, but each is strong enough that I’d recommend checking it out.

Buy it: iTunes | Boomkat

Spat / Era Of Black Holes Part 2 (Channel Zero, Oct 2009) by CLOUDS