Found Space Transform Melancholy Into Dreamlike Refuge on cloud study
Portland duo Found Space have spent the past few years quietly crafting a sound that exists somewhere between dream pop, shoegaze, indietronica and atmospheric electronic music. Formed around the creative partnership of Spencer Oliver Smalley and Lillian Christopher, the project first emerged in 2020 with the release of Don't Let It Go, produced by Day Wave founder Jackson Phillips. Since then, Found Space have steadily refined their identity through a series of singles and the 2024 EP Closer, gradually establishing themselves as one of the more intriguing names within Portland's alternative underground.
Released on June 1, 2026, cloud study represents the duo's second EP and perhaps their most fully realized statement to date. Rather than attempting to reinvent dream pop or shoegaze, Found Space focus on something far more difficult: recapturing the emotional power that originally made those genres resonate so deeply. Across five carefully constructed tracks, the duo create a world built from memory, longing, uncertainty and the quiet act of continuing to dream despite an increasingly chaotic reality.
The band have described the EP as an homage to the music that first brought them together as songwriters. That influence can be felt throughout the project, but cloud study never sounds trapped by nostalgia. Instead, it uses familiar textures as a foundation for something deeply personal. Anger, melancholy, disillusionment and modern anxiety are transformed into something softer and more hopeful, creating an atmosphere that feels both comforting and emotionally honest.
Musically, the EP drifts between dream pop, softened shoegaze, trip hop inspired rhythms, electronic textures and subtle indie rock influences. Reverb soaked guitars blend seamlessly with hazy synthesizers, delicate vocal performances and understated electronic production. The songs rarely rush toward dramatic conclusions. Instead, they unfold patiently, like distant memories slowly coming into focus.
Opening track dreaming (2026 Mix) immediately establishes the record's floating, weightless atmosphere. Built around ethereal synthesizers and gentle vocals, the song feels suspended somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. Themes of disorientation and emotional surrender run through the lyrics, perfectly matching the sensation of drifting through clouds that defines much of the EP's aesthetic.
Nostalgia serves as one of the clearest expressions of Found Space's identity. Combining dream pop elegance with shoegaze textures, the track captures the strange emotional pull of memories both real and imagined. Echoes of artists such as Spiritualized, The Cranberries and Cocteau Twins can be heard throughout its shimmering guitars and hypnotic melodies. Yet the song never feels derivative. Instead, it creates the uncanny feeling of hearing something familiar for the very first time.
On treasures, the focus shifts toward more intimate and grounded storytelling. The song captures fleeting moments, passing streets, old reflections and fragments of everyday life that linger long after they have disappeared. There is a cinematic quality to the track, as if the listener is watching memories unfold through a series of faded photographs.
The EP reaches its most immersive point with underwater (pt. 2). At over four minutes long, it functions as the project's emotional centrepiece. The song explores dreams, oceans, emotional descent and the search for inner peace. Here, shoegaze becomes less about overwhelming walls of sound and more about creating an environment. The music feels fluid and expansive, surrounding the listener like water rather than crashing over them.
Closing track moonlight provides a gentle conclusion to the journey. Combining dream pop warmth with subtle indietronica elements, the song glows with quiet optimism. Its delicate textures, drifting melodies and nocturnal imagery create a sense of calm resolution. Rather than ending with a dramatic statement, Found Space choose a softer approach, allowing the EP to fade away like the final moments of a late night conversation.
The production, handled and mixed by Spencer Oliver Smalley, deserves particular praise for its attention to atmosphere and detail. Every layer feels purposeful, contributing to the EP's immersive quality without overwhelming the songs themselves. Mastering from Justin Weis at Trakworx adds additional depth and cohesion, helping the project maintain its dreamlike character from beginning to end.
What makes cloud study especially compelling is its sense of sincerity. This is not a collection of disconnected singles but a carefully assembled emotional space where Found Space gather their influences, memories and anxieties into something cohesive and deeply personal.
With cloud study, Found Space deliver a beautifully crafted EP that embraces dream pop's capacity for emotional escape while remaining grounded in real human experience. Blending shoegaze textures, electronic melancholy and intimate songwriting, the duo create a record that feels less like a soundtrack and more like a place to disappear into for a while.
A gentle and immersive release that transforms modern disillusionment into something surprisingly hopeful, proving that sometimes the best refuge is the one built from sound.
© Thusblog
