Cloud Castles is the second album from Norwegian outfit Sunface and comes eight years after their 2016 debut Observatory. Featuring ten tracks, Cloud Castles is an interesting blend of fuzzy stoner rock, psychedelia, and Latin/Afro percussion...yes, that latter part seems like an odd fit for a psychedelic stoner band or even a Norwegian one at that, but it all works and gives this album its unique flair. You hear it right off the bat on the opening title track as the percussion bubbles away underneath a haze of fuzz-laden riffs and lilting single-note guitar lines. "New Natures" carries on with these textured sounds, while "Tall Trees" sounds like a marriage of Smashing Pumpkins and Santana. "Second Voyage" ups the ante on the riffage, as it's one of the heavier songs here, and coupled with the drum layers, it's a haunting yet heavy ride. There's plenty of fuzzy lead guitar to be enjoyed on "Thunder Era", and "Priest of the Rays" lumbers along in fine psych/stoner fashion, leading up to the doom-laden dirge that is the 8-minute closer "...Through the Snow and Beyond".
Overall, Cloud Castles is a pleasing listen, the wonderful cover art doing a fine job of setting the stage for the musical vibe that is contained within the album. My one complaint, though, is how the vocals sit in the mix. Throughout the entire album, the singer comes across as barely more than a whisper, and his voice just floats in the background, barely audible above the guitar riffs and drums. At this point, why bother having vocals if you can barely hear him? Just an odd choice in what is otherwise a pretty decent album.
Track Listing
1.
CLOUD CASTLES 04:13
2.
NEW NATURES 04:21
3.
TALL TREES 04:33
4.
GARDEN OF LANTERNS II 02:11
5.
SECOND VOYAGE 04:04
6.
THUNDER ERA 03:48
7.
VIOLET PONDS 06:01 video
8.
PRIEST OF THE RAYS 04:04
9.
GREEN FIELDS AND FAMILIAR FACES 03:00
10.
....THROUGH THE SNOW AND BEYOND 08:04
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