Cloud Control + Body Parts @ The Satellite, LA 1/22/14

Ever since Australia’s Cloud Control released their sophomore LP, Dream Cave, last September, they’ve pretty much been touring non-stop all around the world. The quartet have toured all over their native country, supported Local Natives for their Europe tour, and played a few festivals including one in China. In fact, their work ethic is so admirable that this current tour of the States is their second in only five months. And on Wednesday night, Los Angeles’ The Satellite played host for a warm welcome back party.

A venue almost always plays into how a live concert experience is created. In this case, the intimacy of the Satellite put a spotlight on just how the members of Cloud Control feed off each other and how in-sync they are when playing each song. The crowd immediately got into the set, dancing away at every opportunity they could. Their first two albums differ stylistically, but live, each song weaved in-and-out seamlessly as if their entire set was telling one big, cohesive narrative.  

They opened their set with “Scream Rave,” a number that set the tone for their set with its distorted chants and steady beat, before leading into “Dojo Rising,” which triggered the crowd’s dance switch on. “Island Living” encapsulated what the a Cloud Control show is all about: a psychedelic experience with a thumping, fuzzed-out bass (courtesy of Jeremy Kelshaw) and splintering guitar riffs.

Cloud Control also manages to wear vintage sounds very well, teetering between 50’s pop and rock-and-roll to 60’s blues/folk/psych rock. It was astonishing to witness how nonchalant and effortless their demeanor was when rapidly transitioning between musical stylings in songs like “Meditation #2” and “Moon Rabbit.”

What’s noticeably impressive is the dynamicism and vocal interplay between lead vocalist/guitarist Alister Wright and vocalist/keyboardist Heidi Lenffer. Their harmonies are otherworldly distinct and uncanny that it’s hard to pinpoint right away if there’s any other act that resembles it. This is best exemplified in the trio “Gold Canary,” “Ghost Story,” and “There’s Nothing in the Water We Can’t Fight,” where those features are downright eerie yet gorgeous because of their ability to make you feel liberated and euphoric.

At the end of the night, Cloud Control delivered a very memorable set where they displayed an immense amount of energy without slowing down, even for a second, while the crowd reciprocated the feeling by dancing the night away.

Check out a full gallery of the Aussies’ show in LA HERE!