“Above The Clouds” by Chris Cash, Solow Dakidd, and Chrome of Cloud9MG read to me like a high school slam book or the graffiti wall of an abandoned warehouse. Its personal, it’s intimate and lets the listener into the world of the artists only to discover that someone else’s mind can sometimes be an ego-driven and horrifying place. The artists seem to have no shame in making this known however, often adopting a perspective of insanity and chaotic thinking to delineate their messages.
The instrumentation of “Above The Clouds” is quite sound. Chris Cash showcases his creative abilities as the Producer of this project. All in all there’s a highly contemporary exploration of arrangements from the sub bass heavy “Final Hour” to the jerky post-trap beat employed on tracks like “Chain Link” or “Fire”.
It’s easy to find head scratchers in some of the lyrics on this album coming from Cloud9MG, but the artists seem to be using “Above The Clouds” as a way of enjoying some free expression without having to worry about adherence to form. Time and time again Cloud9MG refer to their own abnormal mental state just before or after spouting their outlandish tales of gratuitous spending and consequence-free sex. They seem to relish the idea of expressing themselves through music, a medium that they can manipulate as they see fit. The results are sometimes off-kilter but always feel genuine.
“Above The Clouds” and the artists who have created it, Chris Cash, Chrome, and Solow Dakidd really seem to like thinking morbid thoughts. But I’m a “look on the bright side” kind of guy at the end of the day, and I think that’s why the more positive, even boastful portions of “Above The Clouds” appeal to me the most. Continued progress as artists exploring that vein will likely continue to yield good results.
– iLikeZach
