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Music

Embrace the dark side of electronic music with Majical Cloudz’ surprise EP Wait and See

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Chilling, thought-provoking, and filled with suspense. It may sound like I’m giving the cliffsnotes version to a thriller, but frankly, these are the emotions that overwhelmed my senses when listening to Majical Cloudz’ surprise EP Wait and See.

Majical Cloudz

The Wait and See EP may be a collection of surplus material from Majical Cloudz incredible debut Are You Alone? but it absolutely stands on its own long, spindly legs.

A continuation of their minimalist approach towards electronic music, Wait and See is a compilation of the duo’s leftover tracks from their composition, Are You Alone? According to the band’s Tumblr page, all of the material for this EP was “recorded when we were working on Are You Alone?, but [it] didn’t fit on that album for one reason or another. They aren’t more recent than the songs on AYA—they date from different periods of time, one of them is among the earliest songs written for AYA and others are more recent. Despite the fact that it’s a collection of songs that didn’t make the record, I think there is a feeling that links them all together (which is maybe why they didn’t fit on AYA).”

The duo’s sentiments are certainly true. While there feels like there is continuity to this new EP from where Are You Alone? left off, this record should definitely be viewed as its own separate entity. With Are You Alone?, there were momentary instances where the duo allowed their uplifting sides to slip into the record. However, the same could not be said for Wait and See. This record takes a much darker and twisted turn down the rabbit hole. It paints a bleak image of the future, but at the same time, it challenges your mind to consider what could be done to prevent that prophecy from coming true.

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In an era where electronic music is built upon layers and layers of synths and beats, the duo are able to convey much more depth and emotions through their simplistic take on this genre of music. In a way, Wait and See reminded me of that time when my English teacher made our class listen to Nine Inch Nails to inspire and challenge our way of constructing poetry. And in that same manner, this EP has challenge my perception of what electronic music should be and could be.

There is a timeless essence to the construction of this entire EP. From its lyrical content to the musical arrangement, Wait and See portrays a very vivid atmosphere with a very stark backdrop. Otto’s use of dusty organs, a sombre layer of synths, and just a brush of percussions highlights Welsh’s sturdy yet haunting vocals. Because Otto places much of the emphasis on Welsh’s vocals, the songs are given room to breathe, gradually expanding within the boundaries of your imagination.

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On cuts like Heaven and My Heart Soaks Up Every Drop of Your Blood, the duo are honing in on moments of true, unimaginable, strange sadness. The emotional craziness is palpable. It feels as though you’re falling down an endless vortex of questions: questions about the meaning of life, love, and everything that surrounds you.

It’s easy to brush off Wait and See as just another sappy record, but I urge you not to. This EP is worth sitting through for those fleeting, disturbing moments of realness – because no one else is putting out music as brutally honest as this. Embrace the darkness, embrace the sadness, and allow your mind to go adrift. This music will take you to the hidden corners of your mind, which are in dire need of exploration.