Majical Cloudz is the minimalistic synth-pop collaboration between Devon Welsh and Matthew Otto. The duo has released two albums and two EPs together, most recently Wait & See, a meditative and brooding follow-up to their October 2015 album. Containing five tracks linked by their distinctive, melancholy sound, the EP doesn’t introduce much new material to their repertoire; instead, it carries the band in the same strong direction they’ve been pursuing since their inception.
Starting off strong with its atmospheric title track, the EP transitions into “Heaven” with a slightly more lush, layered backdrop than the group utilized in their previous albums. Unfortunately, Wait & See returns to its traditionally bare-bones style with the final three tracks – although it’s the vibe we’ve come to expect and love from the group, I was looking forward to a bit more experimentation and musical growth on this EP.
Because of how strongly Majical Cloudz has established their sound, all of their songs tend to blend into each other. They’re a young group, so this actually still works in their favor; this track-by-track continuity adds a cohesiveness to their albums, while their relatively small body of work keeps them from becoming repetitive or redundant. As they continue to make music, however, I would love for them to broaden their influences, as they did in “Heaven” – differentiating each track musically while retaining their own unique style will only make them better.
A favorite of Grimes and Lorde, Majical Clouds’ hauntingly reflective lyrics and sparse synth beats provide a welcome respite from the processed pop that dominates the airwaves, and their most recent EP is a solid encapsulation of their work. The only way for them to improve, however, is to experiment, which is where this release falls flat.
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