Normally I try to wow you with artfully crafted exposition, but for this entry we’re going to start off with just the song.
It’s a killer song–no doubt–with a dramatic flair. It sounds modern, but there is also an odd throwback quality to the sound. What I like most about “Exit Alive” is that it has the potential to make you feel like a badass. It would be a great song for energetic tasks like spirited driving or running athletic drills. The emotionally transformative quality is what defines this song.
I prefer artistic works like music to stand alone from their creators, but also feel a duty to report some information about the creators for background. Normally this involves writing that artist [X] is from [Y] and does [Z]; but KLOUD is a bit of a strange scenario. It’s been described as a “musical project” as opposed to being claimed by a particular individual. It’s also not explicitly stated if KLOUD is supposed to refer to someone creating the music (fictional or otherwise), a character, or an organization. All that we have been given is a series of videos that attempt to tell the story of an android being built and programmed which has been connected with the logo of a thundercloud. The resulting android appears to be KLOUD which sports an illuminated head or helmet similar to something from Daft Punk or Ruiner. That being said, their website (wearekloud.com) and tagline (Join the KLOUD) would suggest that it may be some kind of community.
There are additional music videos, including one for “Exit Alive,” which show more of the KLOUD robot, but I would suggest skipping them. Not because they’re not good, but because the music can take on a different character when attached to visuals. I believe that to best experience a piece of auditory composition, you should allow your mind to construct it’s own interpretation instead of allow a video producer to shape that for you.
TLDR: Have you ever taken a liking to the song but later saw a video with it that made you not like the song? Better to not take that risk in my opinion.
What do you think about trying to build mystique around music production? Do you like the intrigue that the creators attempt to cultivate or is it all a faff?
