Seventh Cloud are a Fort Wayne shoegaze band that know a thing or two about creating mood.
It’s less noisy, My Bloody Valentine kind of shoegaze and more pulling inspiration from the new school of shoegaze/dream pop. Bands like Whirr, No Joy, Nothing, Wild Nothing, and a bit of the ghostly beauty of Cocteau Twins thrown in for good measure make Seventh Cloud’s sound nostalgic, familiar, and distinctly their own at the same time.
Comprised of Alejandro Suarez, Kerisa Daenens, Jacob Martin, Evyn Michele, and Morrigan Piatt, Seventh Cloud released their Heirloom/Locket EP this summer, a four-song album filled with Goth beauty and a doomed romanticism that will be perfect for those forlorn autumnal walks at dusk with songs standing on the edge of slowcore, shoegaze, and dream pop just waiting to soundtrack your next emotional breakdown.
“My Stranger” shimmers with introspection as jangly guitars intermingle with effervescent vocals that seem to emanate from some metaphorical chasm. Everything is slathered in reverb, giving it an almost hallucinatory feel. “Eyes Bigger Than Your Stomach” is calming and menacing at the same time, bringing Whirr to mind in their more introspective moments. Guitars break up in distortion, though the echo that covers the proceedings makes it seem less heavy and more just ambient noise.
“Casablanca” sits in a sort of holding pattern as shimmering guitar seems to hang in the air as nearly whispered vocals sit in the mix. There’s a dream-like quality that hovers over all of these songs, making them feel like a relic and completely new and otherworldly at the same time. Closer “Gracie” spreads out over nearly six minutes, starting out in similarly sedated, sleepy vibes. By the end the song devolves into distant chaos as guitars build to nearly post-hardcore levels, with that slathering of echo keeping it an arm’s distance from sonic annihilation.
Seventh Cloud follow in a long line of great shoegaze/dream pop bands, making thoughtful, contemplative, and emotional music that is beautiful and evocative, and heavy in a dream-like way. Heirloom/Locket an immense work in a small package.
