Cloud Control have built up an impressive momentum since they descended on Britain’s shores from their native Australia earlier this year. Their previous single ‘Gold Canary‘ earned them a much coveted place on Steve Lamacq’s Rebel Playlist and they’ve been vaunted by none other than Radio 1’s Peel-lite arbiter of cool, Nick Grimshaw. ‘This Is What I Said‘ is the latest single from their forthcoming debut album ‘Bliss Release‘.
Singer Alister Wright’s vocals are as flat as a board, reminiscent of Morrissey or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah‘s Alec Ounsworth. Effortlessly deadpan is a vocal style that works best when delivering punchy, amusing lyrics, but seems somehow redundant here as the lyrics are, if not meaningless, at least impenetrably cryptic.
Luckily second vocalist Heidi Lenffer swoops in, her honeyed voice giving the track the warmth it desperately needs. The resulting chorus, if you can call it that, is surprisingly catchy and Wright’s grave interludes provide an interesting contrast to the summery, earth-child vibe evoked by Lenffer and the poppy guitar melody.
Lyrically, ‘This Is What I Said’ isn’t likely set the world alight. Wright boldly proclaims he’s ‘made out of atoms’ before resorting to the age-old device of repeating the word ‘Yeah’ until it invades your brain like a particularly belligerent earworm. Exactly what it is they’re saying may forever remain a mystery but, weather permitting, they have a sound that threatens to become the soundtrack to the summer.
(Ashley Duffy)
