Philadelphia indie-pop outfit Cloakz is premiering their cover of R.E.M.'s classic "Orange Crush" today, as part of Neon & Hairspray, an upcoming tribute album to the 1980s from Mint 400 Records. Known for their mix of shoegaze textures, indie-folk warmth, and guitar-driven melodies, Cloakz brings a unique twist to the track, blending their signature dreamy sound with the song’s dark and driving energy.
Cloakz originally began as a fuzzed-out psych-rock project from singer and guitarist Zac Ciancaglini. Over time, the group expanded into a five-piece band, finding inspiration in Philadelphia’s vibrant music scene. Their sound evolved, taking cues from bands like The National and The War on Drugs, while maintaining a distinct, guitar-heavy foundation. Their debut LP, Control Program, showcases this evolution across eight diverse tracks.
When it came time to choose a song for the 1980s tribute album, Cloakz didn’t make the decision lightly. "We actually had kind of a hard time choosing just one song," the band shared. "We put together a huge playlist of songs that we love, and went back and forth a bunch." Ultimately, they decided on R.E.M.’s "Orange Crush," a song that they felt mirrored their own musical style. "It’s dark and driving, but also has hooks and a bit of a groove to it—a balance we shoot for, especially on songs like ‘Alligator’ and ‘Head FX’ off of our new record." For Cloakz, the song’s energy and atmosphere were a perfect fit.
R.E.M.'s influence runs deep for Cloakz. "R.E.M. made sense to us as a band to cover, not only because they’re a huge direct influence, but also because so much of the later music that was formative for us came from R.E.M.’s creative lineage," they explained. The band sees R.E.M. as pioneers of the indie rock sound that emerged in the 1980s, long before the genre label even existed. "There are plenty of arguments to be made about the origins of ‘indie rock,’ but R.E.M. brought it to the masses before the term ‘indie’ really even existed," they added.
The band points to R.E.M.’s breakout moment in the early 1980s, when their albums Murmur and Reckoning inspired a wave of young musicians across the U.S. "There’s this great compilation from a few years back that Tony was obsessed with for a while called Strum and Thrum. It’s basically all these jangle-pop bands that formed across the U.S. in the wake of R.E.M. breaking through in the early-mid '80s," the band shared. They reflect on how R.E.M.'s success encouraged other artists to stay true to their creative vision, and how the ripple effect of that influence continues to shape indie music today.
Cloakz is no stranger to playing covers in their live sets. "As a band we’re pretty pro-cover," they noted. "We’ll often have a cover in our live set. We’ve done ‘A.M. 180’ by Grandaddy in recent years. Way back we used to cover ‘The Plan’ by Built to Spill." For the band, performing covers serves multiple purposes: it’s a way to honor songs they love, but it also sparks new songwriting ideas and keeps their live sets fresh. "It’s obviously a lot of fun to learn and perform a song you love, but doing covers is also a great way to shake loose new songwriting ideas and break out of the patterns you can fall into when you’re solely focused on your own work."
With their take on "Orange Crush," Cloakz is excited to pay tribute to one of their biggest influences while also putting their own spin on a beloved track. Fans can look forward to hearing their version of the R.E.M. classic today, and to the full release of Neon & Hairspray, a tribute to the vibrant and eclectic music of the 1980s.