CLOUD FACTORY‘s The Memory captured a nostalgic sound. The four-piece isn’t going in and reworking genres or making huge artistic interpretations. What they are doing is presenting five songs that are precise, polished, and give you a fun and enjoyable 16 minutes and 35 seconds of music.
“Shelter” is actually subterfuge. It starts like an alt-country indie song with a mellow vocal and clean instrumentation. It’s what I’d expect as the third or fourth song. But then, halfway through, the song opens up and adds a bit more intention and presence. This switch makes “Shelter” sound like it’s the last song in the set as the band prepares to leave the stage.
Self-described as an “alternative rock / punk band,” CLOUD FACTORY showcases this on “No. 1 Punk Song.” The track is a pure 2000s punk song with melodic vocals and a polished and energetic instrumental. The backing vocals to the chorus are pure nostalgia. Then, the bridge breakdown is a pop punk Warped Tour signature. This track is definitely an EP highlight.
By existing between genres, CLOUD FACTORY uses both to create a tilting style. “Shake Your Body” is alternative rock on the surface, but there are noticeable punk rock elements under the surface. It’s a song that lives through grooves across every verse.
It can be dangerous to have a slow song on an EP because it can slow down all the built-up momentum. “Running Over the Sun” has a high level of polish in the recording, mixing, and mastering. But I actually think about how this song would sound live. “Running Over the Sun” is a break from the high energy of previous songs, but it has the same addictive composition. It could have been a second single.
To close The Memory, CLOUD FACTORY goes back to their style hybrid. “Chase for the Truth” kind of reminds me of Coheed and Cambria. It has elements in the vocals and the arrangement that present how Coheed and Cambria write songs. It’s a great addition.
CLOUD FACTORY’s punk and alternative rock style allows the band to go almost anywhere stylistically. They have a nostalgic sound on first listen, but you can hear their uniqueness the deeper you go. The Memory is solid, it’s to the point. A five-song set that gets to the point and delivers.
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Written by Chris P for Korean Indie.
