It's fitting that I'm reviewing the new EP from Cloud Factory the day after I tackled the new EP from Peel Dream Magazine because both bands seem to be operating from a love of similar points of inspiration. That said, the tunes of Toulouse's Cloud Factory punch harder, and invest as much energy in whipping a frenzy as they do in creating a mood. The group's latest EP is called Cloud Factory #1 and it's out now.
"Amnesia" revs into high gear like some mix of Blake Babies, Lush, Unrest, and Bettie Serveert, while the more considered "No Data" is spindly and moody. Each track is centered around the powerful vocals of singer Alice Cyprine, and one can see why. Alice can sound like young Bjork one moment, and Tanya Donelly another. And the excellent "Talk Too Much" sounds like a grittier, punk-y riff on Altered Images stuff, so we may have to add a reference to Clare Grogan in here too. Each number here on this EP is just excellent and while it seems like I'm comparing this to other bands, I'm only doing that to give you an idea of just how enjoyable every bit of this is. I can't wait to see what Cloud Factory offer up next.
Cloud Factory #1 is out now via Howlin' Banana Records.
More details on Cloud Factory via the band's official Facebook page.