As of late the term “Midwest Emo” has skyrocketed into popularity. As a Michigander myself I was confused as to what it meant, what makes it Midwest ? Is it just where the artist is from or more of a genre in and of itself ? Personally, I’d describe it as a newly formed sound, inspired by the Midwest but not defined by it. So I have a proposition:”Ethereal Grunge”. It’s at least what first came to mind when I listened to Chicago’s own Thirty Clouds and his latest release “Reason”.
The tracks’ roots are firmly placed in 90’s grunge, reminiscent of Nirvana, but with a modern
twist. With influences like Yung Lean and XXX, Thirty Clouds uses minimal words to achieve
maximum imagery. There’s a beautiful simplicity to it all but I can assure you the behind the
scenes process was far from it. With many layers, including backing vocals, and overall
production value, you can hear just how much work was put into this.
Much like early grunge you can hear the pain put into it as well, but Thirty Clouds gracefully
places a blanket of hope over it all. You can hear the sorrow as you listen, but the vocals and
production eventually bring on an aura of peace. Creating an experience that transcends time, hence the “ethereal” part. The whole thing feels like flipping through a photo album for the last time before you burn it. There’s a humbleness and feeling of acceptance throughout, ending with “it was never love”. Normally that quote would be from an overly indulgent and overly sad record, but Thirty Clouds has a certain maturity in his perspective.
Overall I’d say it’s akin to a religious experience, not in a sense of worship, but going back to the acceptance aspect I touched on before. And to me, that’s what music is all about. Yes, it’s
important to confront our negative emotions, but it’s not to be rid of them entirely. We must
accept our humanity, that pain and loneliness will always be a part of the equation, because
that’s what ties us together. Thirty Clouds seems to understand this at only 21 years of age, and with his hard work ethic and unique perspective, the possibilities seem endless. Check out rising star Thirty Clouds on any platform and his latest release “Reason” on SoundCloud now.
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