Cloudchord Taps Into Charismatic Instrumentation In Reverence

Over the course of his lifetime and career, Derek VanScoten has traversed a multitude of genres, hybrid sounds, and production styles. Perhaps best known for his uplifting, vivacious guitar melodies and careful arrangements, he's spent the last five years channeling those sumptuous vibes through his CloudChord project. Though his music has always kept one solid foot in the world of conventional instrumentation and songwriting, he's tapped into the lifeblood organic production in Reverence, putting the spotlight on his sheer musicianship and compositional scope.

VanScoten's catalog traditionally features choice blends of synthesis, guitars, flutes, brass, and a bevy of other instrumental and digital combinations. All of it carries the distinct sonic profile of his musical musings; clean, pure tones, elaborative compositions, and a toaster-warm mix and master. Reverence maintains this formula, but subtly departs from the sound palette of previous albums like Koi Pond and Diamonds through intense focus on the guitar and its classic, charismatic character. 

Stripping back additive layers and eclectic sound design, the result is a pocketed collection of smooth, interloping songs that come directly from the center of VanScoten's musicality. Be it the jubilant phrasing of "Cherish", the interwoven harmonies of "A Hui Hou", or the legato meanderings of "Brighton Falls", the stapled trappings and styles of Cloudchord's music take on bold characters through frugal, solid textures. Tracks like "Doran and Newell" and "Lofi Bach" ebb into territories marked by more intense synthesis and digital timbres, but retain the oxygenated character of the album's instrumental focus. Individually, each track is a font of compositional twists and turns, and in unison, they create an album that feels as narrative as it is lightweight.

After several decades of musical escapades, Derek VanScoten's aural toolkit feels as sharp as ever. Without so much as a dulled edge, he's maintained an output and a focus on his craft that is particularly impressive by any metric, and Reverence is certainly no exception. It seems that no matter what tangential sonic territory the Cloudchord project touches, the results are universally potent, and while we're certain to be enjoying this album for months to come, we're already keeping our eyes peeled on the near horizon for VanScoten's next aural adventure.

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Cloudchord & Soul Food Horns Switch Tempos on Moon Fortune EP

Cloudchord has maneuvered all over the musical map since he first began releasing about five years ago. The producer and guitarist has proven himself difficult to pigeonhole and marketable in many different contexts, from lo-fi hip-hop and instrumental R&B to future bass and house. Once again he’s linking with Soul Food Horns and together they’re switching it up to deliver a four-track four-on-the-floor EP Moon Fortune. He’s probably the only producer with releases on both the heavy bass label Gravitas Recordings and the instrumental hip-hop imprint Chlilhop Music, and the only producer to collaborate with the opposite poles of Space Jesus and Emancipator.

Both Cloudchord and Soul Food Horns, a collective of horn players, represent Austin, TX. They first linked up for Koi Pond, a full LP with Chillhop Music, which received a ton of play upon release. This also kicked off Cloudchord’s recent love affair with instrumental and lo-fi hip-hop. Since that release he’s collaborated with lo-fi favorites oatmello, Goosetaf, HM Surf and G Mills and dropped a sultry and appropriately-titled single “Bopatron” featuring Soul Food Horns on Inner Ocean Records.

Cloudchord, whose real name is Derek VanScoten and who in the past has gone by D.V.S., is a versatile collaborator. He can step in for some guitar licks, co-produce, or produce the entire work as he’s done on Moon Fortune. Although these four-on-the-floor songs depart from the producer’s recent hip-hop trajectory, they harken back to some of his earlier work which was disco-influenced. The placement of the horns is so tasteful, the groove so deep. “Flutterby” is utterly smooth where the title track is more fast-paced and pressurized. There’s little not to like about this release. You can access Moon Fortune on all platforms here.

We caught Cloudchord in New York at the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM) upstate last summer. Earlier this summer he taught an Ableton music production workshop at CoSM with MALAKAI. This weekend he returns to New York, to Mercury Lounge in Manhattan, for a Sunday evening show with British Columbia natives Moon Tricks. We had the good fortune to catch this duo and their banjo- and harmonia-laced blues bass at Shambhala Music Festival, where they were this year’s BC Artist Spotlight on the Living Room stage. It’s a unique pairing that will surely make for a rare evening of instrumental electronica.

FOLLOW Cloudchord: Spotify / Bandcamp / Soundcloud / Facebook

FOLLOW Soul Food Horns: Soundcloud / Spotify / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook