20/09/2026
âïž Pitchfork Music Festival Paris âïž
The most widespread sound on the indie scene,
The most debated musical term,
What is cloud rock?
A new collaboration with journalist La Pieuvre đ
If you missed out on "cloud rock" in 2025, it is now essential to know what itâs all about, as it is one of the most prevalent sounds among the artists in the Avant-Garde lineup at the 2026 Pitchfork Music Festival Paris. But what exactly *is* "cloud rock"?
"Cloud rock" is a bit complicated. Thatâs because itâs a sound defined not so much by what it is, but rather by what it isnât: itâs neither strictly rock, electronic music, nor pop; neither trip-hop, vaporwave, nor shoegaze; nor is it cloud rap, indie rock, or dream pop, but rather a bit of all of the above.
The term "cloud rock" first appeared in 2025 on the now-defunct specialized platform Nina Protocol. It carries the same hazy atmosphere as cloud rap, but with less rap and more guitars. Its definition is equally nebulous; initially, it encompassed dozens upon dozens of artists from vastly different scenes. In fact, according to Les Inrocks, "cloud rock" is more of a "mood" than a genuine musical subgenre.
Since then, the sound has refined itself and found its identity. Journalist and music curator Charlotte Calamel Duprey, who has been following the genre since its inception, has also noted this: "The âcloud rockâ genre continues to draw from alternative scene revivals: trip-hop, indie rock, and lately even a bit of folk, bordering on country."
Thatâs why, to the ear, it can sometimes be hard to distinguish "cloud rock" from indie rock or dream pop, for instance, since itâs made of the same ingredients: rock and electronic music. The difference with "cloud rock" is that guitars are often used to overload an electronic production - an approach that is genuinely innovative.
The guitars are rarely direct, instead, they are diffuse. They seem stripped of their substance; leaving only the reverb behind and lending the sound a haunted quality, like the negative image of a pop song. Over time, this effect - also applied to the vocals (often female) - has become the "cloud rock" trademark, its defining charac
