Ten

After various experimental projects (No More Wig for Ohio, Subtle, Reaching Quiet, Hymie’s Basement, Oaklandazulasylum and Miss Ohio Nameless, to name a few), the trio of cLOUDDEAD return with their long-labored follow up to 2001’s genre-buckling self-titled debut. While taking time to explore their separate artistic endeavors, Dose One, Why? and Odd Nosdam kept each others company, almost always showing up on each other’s records. Since their days of Greenthink back in Ohio, the puzzling hip-hoppers have shared a creative vision that, up to the release of Ten, seems to be ever-growing.  

With the mother-ship known as Anticon now slowing down and seemingly falling apart, Ten arrives just in time to keep the legend alive, offering the most rewarding “alternative hip-hop” music since Sole’s Selling Live Water. In fact, with Ten, cLOUDDEAD leave hip-hop almost entirely in the past, opting for a lush, neoteric art-rock sound. The sing-song raps have sacrificed rhythm for melody, the charming tape deck sound has been updated to a deeper, more professional sheen and their overall focus has replaced their days of impulsive brilliance. Lucky for us, they’re still weird, but retain their digestible, yet genuine approach to album making.

Numerous times over the years I have seen critics refer to cLOUDDEAD as “hip-hop’s answer to Pink Floyd.” Sure, you could get stoned to it, but come on, Pink Floyd? It doesn’t get much more generic than that. If we must be so obvious, we can at least attempt to be accurate; cLOUDDEAD are indie rock’s answer to Brian Eno’s ambient albums, albeit much more lively. Imagine Eno’s intricate layers pasted to a wall built by Dosh’s drum patchwork, throw in two weird voices singing left field poetry and there you have it: stoner songs for a new generation.

The music of Ten not only embraces ambianc;, producer Odd Nosdam mixes live drumming, jazz loops and chopped breaks to create an interesting rhythm section. Each member plays various instruments ranging anywhere from a collection of keyboards and MPC’s to bird flutes and organs.

Ten takes chances that will keep their fan-base small, especially in the slowly evolving hip-hop community. Mainstream and independent rock hasve gone retro in the past five years, thanks to the “it’s all been done” attitude that often cripples rock music. Ten isn’t going to be a popular album, but 10 years from now it should be a very influential album in retrospect. If you consider yourself a fan of rock music and progressive music in general, cLOUDDEAD are guaranteed to be like nothing you’ve heard before. Pick up Ten if you feel like being challenged and, ultimately, rewarded. Otherwise, see you in 10, if this downloading thing doesn’t kill off music all together.   6.5/10

Written by G. William Locke