SINGLE REVIEW: Damn the Weather – Glowcloud

an incredibly important step for the band, a perfectly executed sonic evolution that remains true to who Damn the Weather are

Just over five years ago, Damn the Weather dropped their debut album ‘Saturnalia’, a great little folk rock album that brought together sounds from indie, prog, and pop into an unexpectedly ambitious and at times theatrical concept record. It’s been quite some time since we last heard any new material from this outfit, but 2024 is here to change that, with their brand new single ‘Glowcloud’.

This is an absolutely gorgeous track that feels like the perfect evolution for this outfit, maintaining that folksy sound that permeated their earlier releases, but this time coating it in a wonderful combination of dreamy ambience and slick pop beats. The track alternates between these two points in a musical ebb and flow, pulling the listener in close, before letting them float away.

Vocalist Jon Watkins sounds better than ever, his vocals warm and resonant throughout, layered in a brilliant manner that adds tremendous depth, and accompanied by some genuinely phenomenal harmonies from Sam Camacho. It’s a beautiful performance from both, especially during the track’s final moments.

The usage of violin from Camacho is superbly done, weaving between gorgeous melodies and shrill tremolo vibrations that punctuate the sumptuous soundscape. On top of that, the bass and percussion provide a resounding sonic backbone to the whole affair, keeping the dreamy ambiance of it all just grounded enough to carry some real power and weight.

All of this is brought to life by the track’s particularly stunning production and mastering. Certainly, the tracks on the band’s debut album ‘Saturnalia’ were well produced, but ‘Glowcloud’ marks a definite improvement on this front. Every aspect of this track is glittering with life, every instrument given room in the mix to explore its own sound and bring something to the experience. Truly, I was taken aback by just how good it all sounds.

Where this track takes Damn the Weather next is yet to be seen, but ‘Glowcloud’ feels like an incredibly important step for the band, a perfectly executed sonic evolution that remains true to who Damn the Weather are, but pushes the boundaries of what you expect of them.

For Fans Of: Redwood, Quiet Company, M83, Beach House, Japanese Breakfast

You can listen to Damn the Weather’s new single ‘Glowcloud’ on streaming services on 10/01/24. You can presave the track on Spotify here.

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify // Twitter