Album Review: Julien Mier - Out of the Cloud

We have already features extracts of Out of the Cloud lately, so you should be quite familiar with Julien Mier's sound by now.

First things that comes to mind when you listen to Out of the Cloud is liquidity and a playful journey in the countryside; pretty much the epitome of The Netherlands - or rather how I picture it since I haven't step a foot there yet. Good chances are I'm booking a trip by the end of the album review. Yes I want to travel, unfortunately I can afford it at the moment because of university... So I'm going to take you on a trip for this review and tell you what story Out of the Cloud evokes me.

Storm and Sketch - Julien's brother & sister cats featured on the album cover designed by Martin Bruin - are carelessly walking in the streets. They get their attention caught by birds on a bridge. So they decide to run after them but never manage to catch them. The tweet-y beats mimics the birds making fun of them as they fly away. The timid feathered creatures are now hidden in a safer place. They whistle from a branch while observing a field full of tulips. A bee (xylophon) is swinging from flower to flower, it gathers pollen in a sunny afternoon and goes on until the sun sets down. As it flies back to the beehive, it delivers the nectar to its fellow co-workers. All together, they draw a mechanical dance where the nectar is turning into honey. "We're Like Clockwork" urges the Queen Bee, "I want a steady rhythm!". As the night grows their working pace decelerates slowly. Sun is up, it's time for them to stop.
Meanwhile, Storm and Sketch wake up in the yard. They have been playing around in the mudd during the night. Feeling mischievous and jazzy, they leave inner imprints everywhere around the house. Once they have drank their milk, they embark on their daily adventures. Scampering about nearby, they go from place to place chasing around a butterfly, jumping once and a while over the wheat. Their run-about drives them on the sea-side, where the tide is flooding. Hurry up, we need to turn the tide! Yet, it's too late, Sketch gets wet and the dappled cat is damp.

I finish my story while the final track "Out of the Cloud" is playing. I've got pretty carried away by the album and tried to express Julien Mier's creativity as much as I could through this original review.
I would not have been able to translate this album in technical words, because Julien's sound goes beyond musicality. He plays with the beats as a painter does with colors, or a photographer does with lights.
He simply encaptures moods with sounds.
If you're seduce by his sound paintings, don't hesitate to purchase his LP out via Cascade Records - they ship everywhere.