Crack Cloud

Crack Cloud is a Canadian art-punk and multimedia collective founded in Vancouver by drummer/vocalist Zach Choy. The project is notable for its origins as a rehabilitative outlet for members dealing with addiction and mental health struggles, which informs its deeply communal and purposeful ethos.

Sonically, they are defined by Choy's complex, polyrhythmic drumming, which serves as the lead instrument around which jagged guitars, synthesizers, and choral vocals revolve. Their evolution from the skeletal post-punk of their early EPs to the maximalist, genre-fluid arrangements of 'Tough Baby' and 'Red Mile' shows a move toward art-rock and chamber-pop influences while maintaining a core 'Crank Wave' urgency. Critics frequently compare them to the Talking Heads for their rhythmic ingenuity and Gang of Four for their political and social sharpness. As a collective that produces its own visual media, Crack Cloud occupies a unique space in the independent scene, functioning as both a touring band and an in-house production studio. Their work is a central pillar of the modern Canadian underground, influencing a wave of rhythm-focused post-punk acts.