Smokey Cake - Casa Nueva (Self Release)

The Slow Music Movement
Jul 11
2 min read

This is the cover art for Smokey Cake's, Casa Nueva album. It shows abstract watercolor art with vibrant pink, blue, and orange shades blending across the canvas. No text or distinct figures are visible.

Smokey Cake is the solo project of guitar playing, synth key tinkling Hamilton Blacket, who hails from Bundjalung Country, or Northern NSW, Australia for all you colonial apologists. As well as doing his bit for indigenous rights he's also looking after the environment by using a solar powered studio in an old shipping container - I like him already. Casa Nueva is his second full length transmission in two years, so despite his music sounding pretty stoned, it seems like he's got quite the work ethic.

The photo, taken from below, shows Smokey Cake aka Hamilton Blacket in jeans and a dark shirt standing on a brick ledge against a brown brick building backdrop, looking down calmly. Sky is clear above.

Just in time for summer opens with the toad licked chill out vibes of "Maninoa" that would have sounded right at home on an Ibizan beach during the turn of the century's chill-out heyday with it's classic drums and cosmic synthsiness. Next up is "The Magic Wheel of Time" and as well as the vocals, the edibles start to kick in as the voice soars up, up and away on spirals of reverb, and the guitar makes it's first meaningful appearance to give the track a throwback psyche sheen.

Don't worry there's plenty more of the same to come to, check out "Harmonies", a vintage drum machine propelled, tie-dyed blanket that wraps itself around you like a friends arms when you need a hug, the sonically vague and vaguely danceable stoner sunset vibes of "Asi És", the yacht rocking "The World Is Changing", the Airesque, "Que Bueno" and the opiated farewell of "Underdog".

If you want a good natured fusion of throwback chill-out, with a cosmic vibe and a psychedelic twist that will sound great over the summer then look no further.