Allocai’s “Cloud9”

Fragile in one moment, profoundly sharp in the next – the startlingly surreal guitar parts that are peppered throughout Allocai’s “Cloud9” are among the most alluring elements of this debut single from the aspiring L.A. singer, but they’re only one ingredient in the recipe for Allocai’s classy pop cocktail. In some respects, “Cloud9” was made for this season; whether it’s an afternoon on a sandy beach or a morning walk through the woods, this track is as bright as the summer sun and sporting a vocal that is just as warm. I had no idea who this young performer was just a week ago, but I’m definitely digging his sound in this song.

In the buildup to the chorus, Allocai’s serenade is marred in angst and a sobering grittiness that makes it quite clear just how invested he is in the words that he sings. He’s wearing his heart on his sleeve with us, and somehow sounding a lot less hesitant here than some of his more seasoned rivals would in a composition that is as personal as “Cloud9” is. His confidence is really inspirational, and it never translates as arrogance for even a second – Allocai does too good a job at humanizing his verses for that to happen.

The bass isn’t nearly as forceful as I would have anticipated it being based on the framework of this single, but it was probably wise of this artist to take a conservative route in the studio here. This is such a tightly arranged piece of music that, honestly, I don’t see where there’s even any room for more of a bass presence than what Allocai included in “Cloud9.” There isn’t a stitch of space that went unutilized in this mix, which is something that his East Coast counterparts could definitely stand to take influence from in their own future output.

I would love to hear Allocai experiment with a black and white acoustic sound in the future, as he definitely has the right skills to make some magnetizing alternative folk, mento or something in between the two. It isn’t very often that I come across a songwriter with as versatile as style as his is, and I think that if he were to think outside of the box in forthcoming studio sessions, he could discover an all-new variety of pop different from any that we’ve heard in a long time. He’s got all the right stuff to make it happen, now it’s just a matter of putting it to good use.

2019 has been a great year for hybrid indie artists across the board, but if you’ve been in the mood for something a little further to the left of the basic “alternative” sound, Allocai’s “Cloud9” is a tough release to trump. We’ll know more about his sonic depth once his first LP hits record stores in the near future, but until then, this is an excellent way for the world to get introduced to his sound, and explicitly, his multifaceted capabilities as a songwriter, singer and purveyor of passion.

Michael Rand

The music of ALLOCAI has been heard all over the world due to the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Records. Learn more – https://musikandfilm.com