FAINT WAVES

A prior Shades Of Sound collaborator, the enigmatic Cree first appeared on the inaugural Shades Of Summer compilation back in 2023. The artist contributed “Solo”, a pulse-pounding, shakuhachi-tinged House number that feels and sounds like a precursor to the music we’ll be talking about today: Altostratus by Cree, brought to you by Shades Of Sound Recordings. 

The title track, “Altostratus”, is a soaring, glimmering dream that evokes images of both sea and sky. The soft pads and breath samples feel like the ocean breeze, while dancing bells and chimes feel like sparkling sun-drenched waters. 90’s shaku stabs and House pianos jam separately and then together, functioning less melodically and more percussively, riding the waves of the pads and the beat. There’s an early morning energy to this song, something hopeful and bright, like the start of a new day. The composition, lush and high-fidelity as it is, lends itself well to this vibration. 

The B-Side, “Summertime”, charts a slightly different course; this tune is a bit punchier and more drawn out in its delivery, but the shimmering ethereality persists, providing a sundown beach chugger that you can easily get lost in. After all, there’s something hypnotic about the interwoven chimes and pianos, punctuated by tasteful strikes of a vibraslap. It wraps around and envelops you, before shifting gears around the 4-minute mark, making space and giving way to beautiful piano House chords. The whopping 9 minutes of this track fly by, as you’re set adrift on memory bliss, lost in the rhythm and found by the sound. 

The remixes on the release are from label-head himself, Joe Morris. These alternate mixes opt to slow things down and even somewhat rein them in. On Joe’s “Dusk On The Playa” mix of Summertime, the sound is equally engrossing but more linear, choosing to focus on a driving bassline, pianos, and brilliant percussion. As its name might suggest, this remix expands on the sundown vibe of its original counterpart; there’s even more of a swinging, evening feel to this iteration. That night-bound feeling is compounded by the ambient crickets chirping along in the background. On Joe’s remix of Altostratus, a similar path is taken while still echoing that hazy dawn feeling of the original. Perhaps it’s even earlier in the morning, recovering in the proverbial Chillout room from the night before. This mix stretches the song out and gives it an acid bounce that’s carried along by affected breaths, 909 snares, and plucking pianos. 

This release is well and truly up my street and even slightly resembles some of the material I’ve been working on as of late for the Eclectics label (more on that soon). In the meantime, give this pristine and shimmering beauty by Cree a spin; it’s worth your time. 

Altostratus, out now on Bandcamp, and everywhere else music is streamed and sold.