The Progenitor of Cloud Rap; cLOUDDEAD's Underground Classic
cLOUDDEAD(2001) is the self-titled project of the experimental American hip-hop trio consisting of Doseone, Why?, and Odd Nosdam.
Critical Reception
Stevie Chick of NME said, "This music takes the most abstract fallout of trip-hop as its starting point, working in white noise, telephone pranks and post-rock textures to create a disorientating mush you'll spend weeks getting lost in."[5] Thomas Quinlan of Exclaim! said, "Clouddead follows more along the lines of Frank Zappa or Captain Beefheart than it does hip-hop, but it remains rooted at all times in beats and samples."
Clay Jarvis of Stylus Magazine gave the album a grade of A, saying, "No combination of adjectives could accurately portray what you'll hear and no second-hand gushing will prepare you for the immense pleasure that is sure to wash over you when you put this album on."[7] Mark Pytlik of AllMusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5, saying, "It's menacing, it's enthralling, and it's one of few modern-day records (hip-hop or otherwise) that honestly doesn't sound like anything -- or anyone -- else."*
In 2014, it was described by Arron Merat of Fact as "a key touchstone for the North American hip-hop underground."
References