FROM cloudboy.net.nz
cloudboy are, in no particular fixation:
demarnia, who writes the songs, sings them and sequences the samples; johannes, who records and mixes them and also plays various stringed and buttoned instruments; and craig, who is a multi-instrumental virtuoso (mostly guitar, violin and synth) and also writes and records beautiful arrangements.
indispensable throughout 2001, 2002 and 2003 have been chris o'connor on drums (also known for his work with sanctus and the ecstasy trio, as of 2006 also don macglashan) and john white on violin and backing vocals (also known for his work with sterling ex-dunedin bubble-grunge outfit mestar - check out their brilliant new album 'shut the squizwot factories down'!). special mention also goes out to double-bassist phil boniface as well as donna demente, jef t mitchell, and andy cummings (hummel) whose singing and performance art helped make the 2001 cd release tour the stunning series of events it was.
1995-2001:
cloudboy originated as a side project of supposedly-defunct dunedin electro-pop con artists mink, and recorded a mini-album centered around the eponymous title track 'cloudboy', presenting a more intimate, minimalist side of singer demarnia's talent. a few singles were released in the following years, namely picture disc 'little prince' and the flying-nun-released 'pet'. the follow-up album was concocted between 1997 and 2001; the band decided to record and produce completely autonomously and wouldn't accept any time/space limits. the indulged their every production wish and, finally, the album was finished in early 2001 to everyone's utter satisfaction. check out some of the tracks on the audio page. (since the album has been released, it has also generated some very tasty reviews.)
live, cloudboy have undergone numerous variations, sometimes with up to eight players on stage, at other times stripped right back to two or three. almost invariably there has also been a computer, dat-machine or cd-player pumping out some twisted backing beat, sample loops and/or grainalised soundscape. in the last couple of years, cloudboy have branched out to play outside the usual live pop/rock/dance music venues. their live soundtrack performance accompanying the archival films of silent NZ film programme "shape of the land" was set in cinemas, art galleries and theatres... another pinnacle of their very select performance history was their album-release tour featuring not only a jazz rhythm section, violins and flute, but also a chorus of three backing singers, masked and costumed, as well as projected video backdrops including new zealand film archive footage. another highlight was a show at auckland's stardome - the audience held their breath for 1 1/2 hours whilst reclining in their chairs to watch the fake starry skies...
you can email them - ...@cloudboy.net.nz
these are some of their friends:
records records
mestar
david kilgour
monkey records
dark tower
f*ink
sleepytime
n.z. film archive
donna demente
happy (formerly "the space")
hdu
metonymic/medication
arc cafe
global routes
alastair galbraith
bad statistics
the raskolnikovs
the postmodern pants
2003: cloudboy does old europe
it took a year to get the troupe together for the long-awaited europe stint, but by june 03, everybody had assembled in berlin. this eastern-most city of western europe, more relaxed and afforable than most of its counterparts, acted as a base for the tour. sojourns were made to scandinavia and the UK, the czech republic and much of northern germany. a trimmed-down version of the 2001/2002 NZ touring line-up, cloudboy in europe was a fully "live" affair, by now having fully abandoned the electronic backing tapes of old (an approach established by the NZ leg of the "shape of the land" tour). more than ever, the music was integrated with a variety of visuals (the group is forever indebted to the new zealand film archive), and on several occasions, the various members' solo material was also presented by the group.
while modest in terms of turnout, european audiences were deeply appreciative of the ever quieter sounds of cloudboy (well, aside from when the band played support to a teen disco in a jazz club in göteborg), and of the thirty-odd gigs played, a mere five were staged at conventional rock/pop/bar venues.
it will be interesting to see how (and where!) the group will present itself next
http://www.cloudboy.net.nz/main%20page.html
http://www.nzmusic.com/music/cloudboy
Cloudboy are an indie band from Dunedin, New Zealand consisting of three constant members, Demarnia Lloyd, Craig Monk and Johannes Contag
Cloudboy originated in 1995 as a side project of Dunedin electro-pop artists Mink, and recorded a mini-album centered around the eponymous title track Cloudboy, presenting a more intimate, minimalist side of singer Demarnia's talent. A few singles were released in the following years, namely picture disc Little Prince and the Flying Nun released Pet.
The follow-up album was concocted between 1997 and 2001; the band decided to record and produce completely autonomously and wouldn't accept any time/space limits. Down At The End Of The Garden was finished in early 2001 and released on Global Routes.
Live, cloudboy have undergone numerous variations, sometimes with up to eight players on stage, at other times stripped right back to two or three. Almost invariably there has also been a computer, dat-machine or cd-player pumping out some twisted backing beat, sample loops and/or grainalised soundscape. In the last couple of years, cloudboy have branched out to play outside the usual live pop/rock/dance music venues. their live soundtrack performance accompanying the archival films of silent NZ film programme "Shape of the Land" was set in cinemas, art galleries and theatres. Another pinnacle of their very select performance history was their album-release tour featuring not only a jazz rhythm section, violins and flute, but also a chorus of three backing singers, masked and costumed, as well as projected video backdrops including New Zealand Film Archive footage. Another highlight was a show at Auckland's Stardome - the audience held their breath for 1 1/2 hours whilst reclining in their chairs to watch the fake starry skies.
In 2003 Cloudboy travelled to Europe. It took a year to get the troupe together for the long-awaited Europe stint, but by June 03, everybody had assembled in Berlin. This eastern-most city of Western Europe, more relaxed and afforable than most of its counterparts, acted as a base for the tour. Sojourns were made to Scandinavia and the UK, the Czech Republic and much of northern Germany. a trimmed-down version of the 2001/2002 NZ touring line-up, Cloudboy in Europe was a fully "live" affair, by now having fully abandoned the electronic backing tapes of old.
Members
Core
Demarnia Lloyd - Vocals, samples
Craig Monk - Guitar, Violin, Synth (among other instruments)
Johannes Contag - Various stringed and buttoned instruments.
Variable
John White - Violin, Backing vocals
Chris O'Connor - drums (2001-2003)
Phil Boniface - Double Bass (2001's Down At The End Of The Garden release tour)
Donna Demente - Vocals, performance art (2001's Down At The End Of The Garden release tour)
Jef T Mitchell - Vocals, performance art (2001's Down At The End Of The Garden release tour)
Andy Cummings - Vocals, performance art (2001's Down At The End Of The Garden release tour)
Discography
1995 - Cloudboy 7-song ep (Cloudboy/Infinite Regress Music)
1996 - Little Prince vinyl picture disc (Cloudboy/Infinite Regress Music)
1997 - Pet vinyl single (Flying Nun)
2001 - Down At The End Of The Garden full length cd (Cloudboy/Global Routes/Arclife)
http://www.flyingnun.co.nz/archive_site/bands/general/cloudboy.html
CLOUDBOY
From Dunedin's latest musical space academy, the school of Mink, comes a record by Cloudboy. Packed with collaborators from the afore-mentioned Mink, Cloudboy exists primarily as a vehicle for the voice and songs of Demarnia Lloyd. "Pet"brings the Cloudboy aesthetic clearly into focus. Its strident musical setting, with Craig Monk's string arrangement rolling things along, grows into a more sinister mood by chorus time, all the while adding more threat to the sensation that Demarnia's little girl lost vocal will see things end in a nightmare. It doesn't of course, and this song actually reminds me of the power inherent in the Headless Chickens' "George", but maybe that's just one of those smart musical tricks, pitting the big mean boy-band sound against the woman's voice and having her come out on top...
There's a totally different flavour to the voice on b-side "Baby You Set Me On Fire". Demarnia is all vocal coyness at the musical fairground (mood set by Monk again, this time leading the mayhem from the Rhodes piano). Key lyric, "Baby, you're a fucking liar/but you take me higher" sweeps up all the sassy knowledge inherent in Demarnia's playful delivery as the rest of Cloudboy's crackpotted soundscape rolls on a groove around her.
Cloudboy already have an EP out on compact disc through Dunedin's Infinite Regress. This Flying Nun single confirms that this band's ability to match some head in the cumulus atmospherics with inventive sound plants them at the forefront of a different Dunedin sound. And if Demarnia and Cloudboy are to lead us all skipping through the looking glass, at the very least we're guaranteed of going somewhere interesting.
http://www.muzic.net.nz/artists/227.html
Demarnia
Residing in Dunedin for ten years, and currently working from Wellington, her early work included singing in the high energy ska-skate band Munky Kramp, and with the revolutionary Dunedin electro-pop band Mink. Her main focus for the past eight years has been as the singer and songwriter for the ethereal and orchestrally delightful multimedia ensemble, Cloudboy, working on a number of highly received mixed media tours and two outstanding albums.
As the inaugural artist in residence at Smiths Grainstore in Oamaru in February 2001, the proposal Demarnia put forward to the Whitestone Community Artist's Trust was an interesting one. She wanted to use the top floor of the huge old building as a live-in studio in which she would sleep and dream, and upon waking transform her dreams into lyrical and melody ideas, which she would then record using a digital recording studio.
At the end of her residency Demarnia had completed a cluster of nine songs, a peculiar collection that somehow captures the elusive, chaotic and unexplainable feeling of her dreams. At one moment gently hilarious, the next hauntingly lonely, this EP is a curious glimpse inside a world difficult to describe at the best of times.
The reslut was 'Set Upon A Curve' her most recent album, released in NZ through Global Routes Music.
http://www.cloudboy.net.nz/main%20page.html
http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/cloudboy/down-at-the-end-of-the-garden.htm
Cloudboy
Down At The End Of The Garden
Arclife Recordings
2001
B+
emarnia Lloyd is something of an enigma in the Dunedin music scene. Over the past 7 years her involvement in former rock outfit Mink and current band Cloudboy, as well as her solo material as Cloud Coupe and under her own name, have kept the charming vocalist very busy. Demarnia (daughter of noted New Zealand folk artist David Lloyd and sister of Dark Tower’s Jodie Lloyd) doesn’t just limit herself to music either – for the release of last year's debut Down At The End Of The Garden, she orchestrated an entire album of live performances.
The album is something of an epic body of work – spanning five years and containing songs that have been worked and reworked numerous times. The end result is an exceedingly atmospheric, dramatic soundscape – but one that can, at times, overshadow Demarnia’s heartfelt lyrical content and emotional vocals.
The album starts with a rising crescendo of sitar, tabla and violin on "Teaboy" with multi-instrumentalist Craig Monk making a strong impression. Demarnia over-pronounces and creates waves of dreamy vocal haze with her tremendously breathy vocals. "Red Rubicon" establishes a lyrical theme throughout the album – she describes a relationship in an imperfect, often disjointed fashion, but also that she is there to heal all wounds. The song mixes layers of simple keyboard drum patterns with some spicy guitar work and trumpet – traces of marimba and hefty dashes of double bass create a vast tapestry of sound.
"Cup of Roses" starts with a hefty, pounding drum beat, breaking down to a singular bass line and layers of violin floating in and out – a huge departure from the original arrangement composed many years ago. Unfortunately this distracts from the melancholic beauty of Lloyd’s vocals – which often express so much emotion, but are somewhat lost under the layers of multi-tracked voices and instrumentation. Thankfully the soaring cello mid-song goes a long way towards re-establishing that emotion, climaxing this song of absent love. "(You’re So) Pretty" continues on with Lloyd's lovelorn desires – this time over a bed of synthesizer haze, droning bass and a bed of accompanying vocals.
A storm brews throughout the claustrophobic "Feudal" with many string and synth rhythms creating an environment of unease (as the song expresses lyrically). A perfect example of Lloyd’s visual approach to creating music – tracks pulse in and out like a real storm, with waves of sound flowing in and out and engulfing the listener. "Tebo" carries on Lloyd’s desires for love that’s passed her by – “(driving me insane) that you couldn’t stay -- Tebo” over a gorgeous driving plucked guitar piece from Johannes Contag and some coloring, in the form of David Lloyd’s flute and tin whistle. Following a simple rising rhythm and a drone bass backing, the track is an album highlight for me.
"Daydreamland" adds a layer of funkiness to Cloudboy’s sound – Contag’s bass, along with part time contributor (and ex-mink drummer) Heath Te Au, creates a more upbeat backing for Lloyd’s vocals to float over. On "The Play", some sampled trumpet and guest John Bell’s vibraphone complement the rolling rhythm – carrying on the jazzy vibe "Daydreamland" created.
Cloudboy have succeeded at creating a detailed tapestry of sound, the album literally flows from song to song, drawing heartfelt emotions from Lloyd’s charismatic vocals and the ever-soaring string arrangements, and is beautifully complemented by the instrumentation coloring that Contag, Monk and Te Au bring to the album. I do feel, however, that as an aspect of Demarnia’s vocal style and emotional connection to these songs, that they’re perhaps better suited to a scaled down, personal approach, as she has shown many times as a live performer.
Reviewed by: Chris Andrews
http://obscure.co.nz/events/cloudboy_return
The Dunedin/Wellington pop experimentalists bring back their lavish theatrical musical extravaganza to treat Wellington again, with a special performance at the Paramount Theatre.
While you are waiting for the Ebb show at the Embassy....
BY POPULAR DEMAND
cloudboy
RETURN FOR ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY
Sunday 20 May
Paramount Theatre, Wellington
When avant-pop group Cloudboy commenced their nationwide tour at the end of March, Noel Meek of LOOP posed a question: "Many may ask why Cloudboy were cooped up in a venue the size of BATS when there were people turned away at the door every night and their sound is potentially stadium-filling. Utterly unmissable a second time."
Now, in response to public demand, strong sales for the Down At The End Of The Garden album, and huge radio play during the b-net NZ Music Week, that second time has come.
The Dunedin/Wellington pop experimentalists bring back their lavish theatrical musical extravaganza to treat Wellington again, with a special performance at the Paramount Theatre.
This will be your last chance to experience the show that audiences throughout New Zealand have been describing as the best show they've seen all year.
The Cloudboy show blurs the boundaries of concert and theatre in a combination of live and electronic music, film and pantomime, with material drawn from Down At The End Of The Garden, a collection of 15 avant-pop gems ranging from detailed miniatures to lushly epic soundscapes,
Core players Demarnia Lloyd (singer/narrator), Craig Monk (violin, guitar, keyboard) and Johannes Contag (flute, electronics) will be joined by vocalists Andy Cummings and J T Mitchell, and a group of guest musicians picked from Wellington's improvisatory jazz scene, in front of film projections staged by Dunedin Fringe Festival VJ Alan Thomasson. Donna Demente, who has been transforming Oamaru's historic quarter, provides sets and costume and also appears in the show.
The three sold-out shows at BATS Theatre that opened the recent NZ tour drew immediate and enthusiastic responses.
Cam, a regular and knowledgeable contributor to the online NZ-POP List, attended the first two performances. He described the Cloudboy sound as "drawing from pulsy Krautrock, classical, dance, European folk music and anything but the blues... Rich and rewarding, seductive and complete, Cloudboy hark back to the art-band mischief of the late 70s with the sound of the new century - think Mental Notes-era Split Enz filtered through Spiritualized! It's the return of theatrical rock!"
In weekly scene guide The Package, reviewer The Knave was also entranced: "Bathed in a soft green and incense, Cloudboy hold me captive in their garden... The mood and emotion of their music and the theatrics slipped tastefully hand in hand, creating a complete and enchanting show."
The performance at Arc Café in Dunedin was described as "unbelievable" by Roi Colbert, doyen of that city's sound. He went on to say, "I haven't seen anything this good in this country for a long time. So much to watch and hear and reel from... movies... costumes... weird people scampering across the stage with bowed shoulders... a backing chorus... Demarnia was beyond compare."
The Auckland performances drew a number of enthusiastic luminaries, including Shayne P. Carter, who has himself been getting many positive notices of late. Carter described the show as "brilliant."
The songs in the concert come from the debut Cloudboy album, five years in the making. The 15-track CD is receiving rave reviews throughout local print media.
In the NZ Listener, Nick Bollinger wrote of the album's "sparkling poppy gems", and described it as "insanely hooky... stubbornly individual and curiously beautiful."
Russell Baillie of the NZ Herald gave the album a four-star review: "imaginative pop of just-so poise with a hint of darkness."
Four-star reviews were also forthcoming from Ripitup's Brock Oliver ("Down at the End of the Garden is a fragile lullaby that swoons and crystallises like snowflakes, gently brushing your senses... Devonshire electronica, with minimal lashings of cream ."), and Darryl Baser in the Otago Daily Times ("pop heaven?an indy-dance album of international standing").
John Taite in Real Groove was similarly enthusiastic - "Equal parts psychedelic fantasy and orchestral experiment - an eclectic slice of brilliance that will be treasured by those who possess it." - as was Noel Meek in Loop: "A startlingly original avant-pop album album of rare beauty and exquisite composition... there is genius hidden in this exquisite seraphic voice."
Good as the album is, the live performance by Cloudboy will take you into another dimension entirely.
Do not miss this last chance to see the Down at the End of the Garden show.
CLOUDBOY
Paramount Theatre
One Show Only
8pm, Sunday 20 May
unauthorized cloudboy rare live and demos
collected songs from 1995-2003
that do not appear on the 4 official cloudboy releases
which would be
2001 - "down at the end of the garden" full-length cd
(cloudboy / global routes / arclife)
1997 - "pet / baby you set me on fire" vinyl single
(flying nun)
1996 - "little prince / nicknames" vinyl picture disc
(cloudboy / infinite regress music)
1995 - "cloudboy" 7-song ep cd/mc
(cloudboy / infinite regress music)
or these (maybe)
"walk along" on "disturbed" (imd, 1995) --
"cloudboy" on "...but i can write songs o.k." (yellow eye, 1996) -- "daydreamland" on indie hit disc 1 (nzoa) and dunedin update 4 (radio one) --
"small girl" on "god save the clean" (flying nun, 1998) --
"pretty" on "arc - music of dunedin" (arclife, 1998) --
"pine" (jody lloyd remix) on dunedin update disc 6 (radio one) --
"cup of roses" (live) on "arclife" (arclife, 1999) --
"brimea" on "flying way too high" (arclife, 2000) --
"this long underwater" on "arcbeats" (arclife, 2001) --
"red rubicon" on "loop select 001" (loop recordings, 2001) --
"black sun tebo" on "kfjc 89.7 fm presents the dunedin sound" (kfjc, 2002) -- "humm" on "loop select 003" (loop recordings, 2002) --
"red rubicon" on "capital blend" (capital times, 2002) --
"cup of roses" on "fear of a quiet planet" (golden bay records, 2002) --
"red rubicon" on "the strip soundtrack" (loop recordings, 2003)
hey, i'm stoked you guys found me! i fucking loved cloudboy! i went to one of the shows in welington around 2001, it was at paramount cinema. it was possible one of the best live shows i've seen. playing music to old black and white documentaries. was ace. nice one! i think i've got all the cds that were released.
Hey thanks for finding me! Was just thinking about you guys the other day as I was lamenting the loss of Odeon Lounge (yes I know it's been ages, I can't let go... probably due to lack of anywhere cool opening to replace it...). Anyway who runs this site? Demarnia? Would be great to catch up hon, when you next in Auckland? Megan xxx
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'from toling to tsaparang' "...Not for ambition or bread Or the strut and trade of charms On the ivory stages But for the common wages Of their most secret heart...." love you guys...BAM!
