Cloudchord shares opti-mystical poolside summer sounds EP, ‘Sundrop’
October 1, 2022 BY Jason Currell
Cloudchord (Derek VanScoten), the producer, guitarist, and genre bender specialist that is augmenting musical possibility into reality returns with his new EP Sundrop, out today via Nettwerk. Sundrop is a collection of “opti-mystical” poolside summer sounds of the summer featuring the previously released singles “Inner Luv,” “Soul Major,” and “Cryin’ Heart.”
On “Cryin’ Heart,” collaborator Braxton Cook shares, “As soon as I heard the track I knew what to do immediately. The song is funky, soulful, and catchy so it’s right up my alley. I threw the track into Logic and improvised a couple of solos over it and then sent it right back to Cloudchord. Also, it’s great to work with a fellow Nettwerk label mate and see that they have music that I genuinely enjoy! I’m sure this is just the beginning of our collaborations.”
The songs on this EP present a synergy of Cloudchord’s tropical guitars and breezy dance beat instrumentation, with diverse percussion and an array of vocalisms. Sundrop showcases Cloudchord’s ability to join forces with fellow multi-instrumentalists such as ProbCause (a frequent collaborator with GRiZ), Adam Deitch (Lettuce), Braxton Cook (fellow labelmate as well as a musician who toured with Tom Misch), and Balkan Bump to create a magical melting pot of genres consisting of lo-fi instrumentals mixed with soulful hip-hop and jazzy breakdowns. Cloudchord’s remarkable technical skills on the guitar highlight his refreshing takes on atmospheric dance music, solidifying his place in the world of psychedelic chill hop beats. Sundrop is available on all digital retailers (here)
“I see no reason ever to stop because music is absolutely my favorite thing to do in the world. Music is my spirituality and my quest for truth. It’s always right there if you’re willing to listen for it” shares VanScoten.
WATCH + LISTEN TO “CRYIN’ HEART” HERE
WATCH + LISTEN TO “SOUL MAJOR” HERE
WATCH + LISTEN TO “INNER LUV” HERE
CLOUDCLOUD
SUNDROP
TRACKLIST
Cryin’ Heart (feat. Braxton Cook & ProbCause)
Waterfalls
Soul Major (feat. Adam Deitch)
Inner Luv (feat. Balkan Bump)
Staying Inspired
Waterfalls (Reprised)
TOUR DATES:
With The Floozies & Sunsquabi
November 11 – Lawrence, KS – The Granada
November 12 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
December 31 – Austin, TX – Sunsquabi NYE
ABOUT CLOUDCHORD:
Derek grew up coveting guitar gods like Jimi Hendrix. The game changed when his Dad took him to see George Benson, and his Mom paid for jazz guitar lessons. His college years saw him learning about high-level recording studios; a summer spent as an audio engineer intern at the Aspen Music Institute ignited his reverence for acoustic music. His inspirations grew to include jazz pianist and life mentor Art Lande, and hip hop acts like Jurassic 5 and The Roots. After several years as a Brooklyn-based touring act called D.V.S*, Derek moved to Austin and rebranded. The creative focus was on the chill sides of dance music (from chillhop to deep house) while featuring live guitar and lap steel. In his first year as Cloudchord, he scored 6 consecutive #1 tracks on Hype Machine. Shortly after, a call came to score the documentary In Football We Trust. The work premiered at Sundance and won an Emmy. Other scoring clients have grown to include Disney, Gatorade, Facebook & L’Oreal.
