Cleopatrick’s FAKE MOON
23 May 2025 Music Reviews New Releases Review
It’s the weekly dilemma: what new releases do I play on my show?
KUCI’s ever-expanding music library offers no shortage of tracks to pick from, but I
need something that speaks to me. While browsing our rock genre selections, I came
across FAKE MOON, the second album by Canadian band Cleopatrick (stylized as
cleopatrick) consisting of Luke Gruntz and Ian Fraser. The stylization of the duo’s name
and album title caught my attention, reminding me of emo, rock, and punk bands I
enjoy. I went in expecting something along the lines of these genres, but what I found
was unique and raw, which scratched my brain in ways I didn’t know it needed to be
scratched. In just over 31 minutes of music, Cleopatrick has manifested something
nostalgic and bittersweet in FAKE MOON.
The duo’s two most popular songs, “hometown” and “GOOD GRIEF”, as well as their
debut album BUMMER, lean entirely into alternative hard rock sensibilities. As such,
this album presents a departure from heavy beats and electrifying production. It’s a
bit-crushed daydream, perfectly crispy on the edges.
My personal favorites off the album are “HEAT DEATH”, “HAMMER”, and “CHEW”. I
think these three tracks perfectly encapsulate the grunge-y, shoegaze-y, emo-y flavors
baked into the album. I absolutely adore the heavy guitar chords played by Gruntz,
complemented by immensely groovable yet steady beats laid down by Fraser. The
additional use of electronic and synth elements, wistful vocals, and deep-cutting lyrics
does nothing but enhance the vibes of the album to sound like something out of the end
credits of an indie RPG.
However, does every track hold up? No. There’s nothing drastically off-putting in any of
the ten songs on the album, but the latter half does start to mush together a bit, and it’s
hard to stay awake unless you’re doing something else while listening. Still, FAKE
MOON ends off strong with “LOVE YOU”. The track gives the chance for the grungier
elements in the beginning to make a comeback, and really ties together the themes and
feel of the whole album.
Despite FAKE MOON’s minor shortcomings, Cleopatrick has taken a risk in putting
something more sensitive into their sophomore album. This makes me incredibly
excited for what they have planned in the future, alongside their newest single “TALK
DOWN” released on March 28, 2025.
FAKE MOON is for warm summer nights. FAKE MOON is for the listener, for the
beholder, for those wanting to listen and be held. Pop on some headphones, turn this up
to full blast at 3 am, close your eyes, and let it take you where it will.
FAKE MOON was released on March 14, 2025. You can check out Cleopatrick’s website
at cleopatrick.com.
by Neela, host of KUCI’s Hi/Lo Frequency!