PODViG! – “Cloud Maze” Review: A Stoner Space Rock Jam That Takes Its Time

“Cloud Maze” by PODViG! is the kind of track that feels like it wasn’t written—it just happened. The band, made up of three musicians from wildly different backgrounds, thrives on improvisation, and that raw energy is everywhere in this song. It starts off slow and deliberate, almost as if the band is figuring things out along the way. But once it picks up speed, the build-up becomes relentless. By the time it reaches its peak, ‘Cloud Maze’ locks into a steady groove, layering sounds and driving forward with a raw energy.

PODViG! isn’t a traditional band with a structured songwriting process. It’s a jam project that grew out of a shared love for experimenting with sound. Al King handles guitars, Ivan Drybas brings his classical training to the keyboards, and Eugene Smozhevsky ties it all together with bass, Chapman Stick, and groove boxes. The result? A blend of stoner rock, spacey synths, and progressive energy that feels completely unforced.

There’s a looseness to “Cloud Maze” that makes it stand out. It doesn’t rush to get anywhere—it expands and evolves at its own pace. The band isn’t trying to create radio-friendly hooks or force a big moment; instead, they let the music take shape organically. It feels alive, like you’re listening in on a jam session where the band locks in and just goes for it.

For fans of psychedelic and stoner rock, “Cloud Maze” is the kind of track that rewards patience. It would fit perfectly in a trippy sci-fi film or an open-world game with vast, unexplored landscapes. The layered guitars, steady build, and eventual explosion of energy make it feel like a journey through shifting atmospheres.

If this is just the first track to make the jump from jam session to finished song, PODViG! is onto something. There’s a chemistry here that can’t be forced, and “Cloud Maze” makes that clear from the first note to the last.