For those about to get sonically pummelled, we salute you. Coming straight out of Lyon, France, sound alchemist Bastien Pons isn’t here to write catchy hooks. He’s here to build atmospheres you can feel in your bones. On “Black Clouds”, a standout track from his debut album ‘Blinded’, he enlists fellow traveller Frank Zozky for an eight-minute descent into a sublime, industrial-tinged abyss.
Trained in the art of musique concrète—think of it as the audio equivalent of welding scrap metal into a sculpture—Pons treats sound with the same gritty texture and stark contrast he uses in his black-and-white photography. “Black Clouds” is the audio proof. The track doesn’t start so much as it coalesces out of a digital fog. At its core is a raw, mantra-like vocal line, a repetitive and insistent chant that feels less like singing and more like a primal incantation. This is where Frank Zozky’s contribution becomes the heartbeat of the operation. His voice isn’t here to carry a tune; it’s a tonal instrument, a human layer of grit that grounds the track’s abstract fury.
This isn’t music for the faint of heart. Pons surrounds this central vocal with a shifting mass of static, broken loops, and low-end industrial hums. The vibe is claustrophobic yet strangely peaceful—a paradox that only true sonic architects can pull off. It’s the sound of being trapped in the best way possible, locked into a groove that’s more spiritual than musical.
Let’s be clear: “Black Clouds” is not something you just listen to; it’s a space you inhabit. It’s heavy without being aggressive, powerful through restraint. This is the kind of track that separates the poseurs from the true believers. It’s a slow, immersive wave of grainy, cinematic sound that blurs the line between industrial noise and something almost sacred.
If you’re looking for a quick fix, look elsewhere. But if you’ve got the guts to stand in the eye of the storm, “Black Clouds” is a breathtaking, brutal, and brilliant piece of work. Press play, surrender, and get ready to be consumed by Bastien Pons and Frank Zozky.