Unclouded (Dinked Edition #371)

On her fourth album, Unclouded, Melody’s Echo Chamber embarks on a life-affirming new chapter with an album that celebrates the present moment, whatever state we find ourselves in. There’s a continuity that runs through Melody’s Echo Chamber’s brand of psychedelic pop going back to 2012’s self-titled debut but now comes a perfectly executed shaking up of personnel.

Unclouded’s impressive cast includes Swedish maestro Sven Wunder, who co-produced the record and contributed to the writing, bringing his unique sonic palette to the richly-textured canvas; Josefin Runsteen on strings, who brings her avant-garde smarts to the tableau; Dina Ögon’s Daniel Ögen on guitar and Love Orsan on bass who Melody describes as “masters of the velvet groove”; British drummer Malcolm Catto, collaborator with Madlib and DJ Shadow, and the powerhouse behind The Heliocentrics; and frequent collaborator Reine Fiske whose guitar parts can be heard throughout the record.

Last but not least, Leon Michels - the Wu-Tang, The Carters, Norah Jones and Clairo collaborator - worked with Melody on the album’s closer “Daisy”, a sparkling pop song plucked from the ether. El Michels Affair’s Grammy-winning mixer Jens Jungkurth was drafted in to bring everything to life. 

Side A

1. The House That Doesn’t Exist

2. In The Stars

3. Flowers Turn Into Gold

4. Eyes Closed

5. Childhood Dream

6. Memory’s Underground

Side B

7. Broken Roses

8. Burning Man

9. Into Shadows

10. How to Leave Misery Behind

11. Unclouded

12. Daisy (feat. El Michels Affair)