cleopatrick

Introduction

The Canadian duo of Luke Gruntz and Ian Fraser have spent years building a band around instinct, experimentation and an unusually close creative relationship. They met as children and began making music together when they were still young, eventually turning that connection into cleopatrick. What started as two friends figuring things out together has developed into a band with its own language, one that has continued to change without losing the sense that everything comes directly from the two of them.

WHAAT

Now comes “WHAAT”, the first track from their forthcoming new album, and Luke isn’t particularly interested in playing down what they’ve made.

“All I can say is that this new album is really big.”

The scale isn’t just about sound. For Luke, the record represents years of figuring out how to turn the ideas that have surrounded cleopatrick since the beginning into something tangible.

“There’s a handful of concepts and ethos that have always floated around with this band since day one. The story of cleo, so far, has been about us learning how to achieve those ideas through the art.”

That process has taken them through BUMMER, FAKE MOON and the later SCRAP, with each release adding something to the band’s understanding of what cleopatrick can be. The new album, Luke says, is where those lessons start to connect.

“There’s stuff happening on this new album that we were dreaming about achieving on BUMMER and FAKE MOON. Total catharsis.”

The first glimpse of that comes with “WHAAT”, which arrives on 13 October. Rather than easing listeners into the next chapter, cleopatrick have chosen to make an entrance.

“I feel like WHAAT announces what this next chapter is gonna be about so clearly and efficiently.”

The track takes something that has been present in cleopatrick’s music from the start and pushes it much further: the hip-hop influence sitting underneath their guitar-driven sound.

“It’s that hip hop backbone swag-core thing that’s always been woven into cleopatrick songs but dialled up and fully explored.”

There is no attempt to disguise the excess. Luke describes it as “a pretty over-the-top tune”, adding that it felt right to return with something that would “kick the door down”.

That maximalism is deliberate. After spending years refining the band’s sound, this isn’t cleopatrick quietly testing the water. It’s a statement of intent.

Creative control

The interesting part is that, despite how different the new record may sound, the process behind it wasn’t a complete departure from FAKE MOON.

“In all honesty the creation of this album was very similar to the creation of FAKE MOON.”

The difference is what they’ve been able to do with everything they’ve learned since.

The production-first, experimentation-focused approach that shaped FAKE MOON carried over, along with an emphasis on building a world around the music rather than simply recording a collection of songs.

“It doesn’t sound anything like that record, but the production-first / experimentation focused / world building approach that I took on FAKE MOON definitely bled through onto this new album.”

That continuity matters. The new record couldn’t have existed without everything that came before it.

“That’s what I mean about it being the culmination of everything learned; this new stuff does NOT happen without what’s come before it. Cool feeling.”

That sense of ownership runs through cleopatrick’s entire approach. The band have always operated with a strong DIY instinct, and even as their audience has grown, Luke isn’t interested in handing over the creative steering wheel.

“I don’t think it’s cleopatrick if I’m not gripping the wheel with both hands.”

It’s a pretty revealing description of the band’s philosophy. For Luke, creative control isn’t a marketing position or something that sounds good in a biography. It’s part of what makes the band recognisable.

“I’m pretty confident that if I started offloading a bunch of creative work or using other peoples’ ideas everyone that digs the band would notice something’s missing.”

That conviction probably makes more sense when you understand how long Luke and Ian have been creating together.

They met when they were four and have spent much of their lives developing a musical shorthand that doesn’t require much explanation.

“We just always had that magic unspoken connection through the music. I think we read each other’s minds.”

Even as children, he says, they didn’t need to overthink it.

“We’d just start playing and somehow both know where the music was trying to go.”

That connection has become increasingly important on stage too. Although cleopatrick remains fundamentally a two-piece, Luke says recent shows have seen them joined by their friends Jig and Quinn of ZIG MENTALITY, particularly to expand the live arrangements around the newer material.

The two-piece remains at the centre of the show, but having the additional musicians available has opened up another level of movement.

“Having those two available has increased the dynamic range of the live show by 10x.”

The fact that Jig and Quinn have also produced music with cleopatrick helps. There is already an understanding between them, meaning the live arrangements don’t need to be over-explained.

“Our rehearsals are hilarious. No discussion before or after. The set just happens.”

The UK

That live relationship extends particularly strongly to the UK, where cleopatrick have built a loyal following through previous tours and headline shows.

Luke doesn’t hesitate when asked what keeps bringing them back.

“Just the greatest live gig energy ever.”

The band have played multiple UK cities over the years, including London, Manchester and Brighton, and Luke says the reception has made the country feel strangely familiar.

“We’ve always received so much love from the UK. It feels like our hometown or something.”

So when the new album moves into its touring chapter, the UK is firmly on the list.

“Of course. Can’t hit the road without visiting. Gonna do our biggest shows ever.”

For a band that has spent years chasing ideas they could hear in their heads before they had the means to realise them, that feels like a significant statement.

Luke is unusually definitive when asked if there’s still something he wants cleopatrick to achieve.

“There was until we wrapped this new album.”

He’s sure there will be another challenge eventually. For now, though, he believes they’ve reached something they’ve been working towards for years.

“Honestly this record we just put together feels like the top of the pyramid to me for the moment.”

There is still plenty we don’t know about the album. cleopatrick aren’t giving everything away yet.

But “WHAAT” is coming on 13 October, and Luke has already given us perhaps the simplest description of what follows.

BIG.