Godlike Masquerade is the first single to be released from Cloud Tangle’s third album ‘Dreaming Again’, due for release later in early October 2024.
The new single is one of the earlier writings that will appear on ‘Dreaming Again’, showing a more guitar-centric arrangement, more rhythmic focus and dense instrumentation. A throwback to her previous work, the single also gives us a glimpse into the album’s development in sound. The track fades in with the “dreaming theme” and faint vocal echoes from the previous track bring a sense of unity when listened to within the album’s chronology.
Lyrics paint a picture of a dreamscape and abstracted reality; the sacrifice of an absent mind to ride the train of imagination. Surrealism and Dreams are common themes of the album that this single gives us a glimpse into. The two cyclical guitar riffs that interweave are a trademark feature of the project since the debut works nearly a decade ago now. Influences span from the guitar work of David Lynch, folk music, Radiohead and from playing the drums to a variety of genres.
Drawing from the wide range of previous releases in the project, we can hear prominent features of twinkly Roland Juno Gi from ‘Swells’ and orchestral arrangements similar to those in ‘Falling Asleep’ EP and ‘Kinds of Sadness’. The sound palette of ‘Dreaming Again’ strays slightly in the stronger inclusion of live drums on most of the songs and a richer focus on the capabilities of synthesiser sounds to enhance the overall layering of each song.
Multi-instrumentalist and producer Amber Ramsay’s earlier works on the album were written on electric guitar, which dominates this single’s production; featuring elements of experimental swells and effects throughout. This was a prominent style for the tracks written in early 2020, directly following the release of debut album ‘Kinds of Sadness’.
Godlike Masquerade underwent many stages of production and the final session comprised 44 layers of instruments and vocals. A large portion of the layers are electric guitar takes, including a recording of the original guitar demo loop that the song was built upon.
“I was spending a day resting in Vienna during my solo travels when it started snowing unexpectedly and I rushed out the door to wander through the gardens I had been frequenting nearby and enjoy the snow falling from the sky. I ran back and grabbed my camera and shot the music video on my wander through the snow. Having grown up in subtropical QLD, snow feels really novel and magical, which seemed to match the other worldliness of the music. The train scene is both symbolic to the lyrics and a throwback to the early live visuals of black and white trains and film footage. I captured the final shot on a train through northern Italy.”
The Wim Wenders and Godspeed You! Black Emperor inspired video will be released on August 9th.
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With thanks to 4000 Records
