Cloudland Canyon Lie in Light

Words: Joe Colly
Label: Kranky
XLR8R Rating: 8.5/10

Cloudland Canyon is the ongoing collaboration of German-born Simon Wojan and Kip Uhlhorn, guitarist for Brooklyn noise rockers Panthers. Krautrock is a clear influence for them, but the duo doesn’t look to simply reenact the ‘70s German underground. On Lie in Light, their second LP, the band incorporates the era’s characteristic motorik sound with droning guitars and whirring synthesizers to make dizzying, atmospheric soundscapes. The album succeeds as a result of its seamlessness. Its songs–particularly “You & I” and the title track–are great, blending their components (Krautrock, shoegaze, field recordings) so finely that they’re virtually indistinguishable from one another. The result is a stargazing guitar record full of warmth and imagination.