Cloud Control was an Australian alternative rock band, originating from the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia.[1] The band was signed to the Australian record label Ivy League Records, on which they released their first album, Bliss Release. They were also signed to Infectious Music in the UK and Europe, Humming Records in Germany, and Votiv in North America.

Cloud Control
Background information
OriginBlue Mountains, NSW, Australia
Genres
Years active2007–2018
LabelsIvy League Records (AU), Infectious Records (UK/Europe), TurnOut Records (US), Humming Records (DE)
Past membersAlister Wright
Heidi Lenffer
Ulrich Lenffer
Jeremy Kelshaw
WebsiteCloud Control

The band supported a number of local and international acts, including Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Supergrass, The Magic Numbers, Yves Klein Blue, The Temper Trap, Last Dinosaurs, Local Natives and Weezer. The band was nominated for awards in Australia, including two ARIA Awards. The band won the Australian Music Prize on 3 March 2011 for Bliss Release.

History

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Growing up in the Blue Mountains, the four members of Cloud Control met at the rehearsals for The Pirates of Penzance. They entered their first "Battle of the Bands",[1] which they subsequently won. They recorded and released their debut EP, Cloud Control, in November 2007.[2] The single "Death Cloud", was picked up by the Australian youth radio station Triple J and received strong airplay.

After a string of festival appearances and tours with a variety of Australian bands, the band released its first album, Bliss Release, in 2010. They recorded the album in the house of their producer, Liam Judson.[3] Two singles were released from the album, "Gold Canary" and "There's Nothing in the Water We Can't Fight". The latter appeared at number 18 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2010. The single "Gold Canary" was voted as Single of the Week in the Rebel Playlist on the UK's BBC Radio 6 Music 2010.[4]

The band supported Foo Fighters along with You Am I at their 2011 concert for flood relief in Brisbane, Queensland.

Their song "Just for Now" was used in the 2012 movie Magic Mike.

Their second album, Dream Cave, was released on 9 August 2013.

On 3 January 2015, the bass guitarist, Jeremy Kelshaw, announced his departure from the group on the band's Facebook page.

The band's fourth studio album, Zone was released on 1 September 2017. Their label said the album was written in a small beach house near the NSW regional centre of Forster and has been described as "profound, but also flippant, euphoric, but conceptual".[5] The album peaked at number 53 on the ARIA Charts.

The band has been largely inactive since 2018. Alister Wright has begun a new project, Vlossom,[6] while Heidi Lenffer has pursued entrepreneurial work as the leader of FEAT.[7]

Band members

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Final line-up
Past members
  • Jeremy Kelshaw – bass guitar, backing vocals, percussion (2005–2015)

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[8][9]
UK
[10]
Bliss Release 20 136
Dream Cave
  • Released: August 2013
  • Label: Ivy League Records (IVY196)
  • Format: CD, digital download, LP
9 -
Dream Cave Unplugged
  • Released: February 2014
  • Label: Ivy League Records
  • Format: CD
- -
Zone
  • Released: September 2017[11]
  • Label: Ivy League Records (IVY384)
  • Format: CD, digital download, LP
53 -

Extended plays

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Title Details
Cloud Control
  • Released: November 2007[2]
  • Label: Meow Music (MM001)
  • Format: CD, digital download

Singles

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Year Title Album
2007 "Vintage Books"[12] Cloud Control
2008 "Death Cloud"[13] Bliss Release
2009 "Gold Canary"[14]
2010 "This Is What I Said"[15]
"There's Nothing in the Water We Can't Fight"[16]
"Meditation Song No. 2 (Why Oh Why)"[17][18]
2011 "My Fear #1"[19]
2013 "Dojo Rising"[20] Dream Cave
"Scar"[21]
"Promises"[22]
"Tombstone (unplugged)"[23] Dream Cave Unplugged
2017 "Rainbow City"[24] Zone
"Treetops"[25]

Awards and nominations

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AIR Awards

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The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2010[26][27] themselves Best Independent Artist Nominated
Breakthrough Independent Artist Won
Bliss Release Best Independent Album Won

ARIA Music Awards

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The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Cloud Control were nominated for two awards.[28]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2010 Bliss Release Breakthrough Artist Nominated
Best Rock Album Nominated

Australian Music Prize

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The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award.[29]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2010 Bliss Release Australian Music Prize Won
2013 Dream Cave Australian Music Prize Nominated

J Awards

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The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J.[30]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2010 Bliss Release Australian Album of the Year Nominated
2013 Dream Cave Australian Album of the Year Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b "Cloud Control – Discover music, videos, concerts, stats, & pictures at". Last.fm. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Cloud Control (EP)". Apple Music. November 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. ^ Orlaith Grehan (24 March 2011). "Interview | Cloud Control". Meg. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Cloud Control 'Bliss Release' National Tour - Cloud Control at Harp Hotel, Wollongong, NSW on 13 May 10". Liveguide. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  5. ^ "The Purge 252". auspOp. July 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Vlossom Shares Video for Debut Single "Catch Your Breath"". Broadway World. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  7. ^ Newstead, Al (22 November 2019). "How Heidi Lenffer is rallying the Aussie music industry to renewable energy cause". triple j. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  8. ^ "Cloud Control at Australian Charts". Australian-charts. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  9. ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #437". auspOp. 9 September 2017. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  10. ^ Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK – Update 4.06.2011". Zobbel. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  11. ^ Newstead, Al (27 July 2017). "First listen: Cloud Control - 'Zone (This Is How It Feels)'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Cloud Control - Vintage Books". YouTube. November 2007. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  13. ^ "Death Cloud - single". Apple Music. November 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Gold Canary - single". Apple Music. October 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  15. ^ "This Is What I Said - single". Apple Music. April 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  16. ^ "CLOUD CONTROL: There's Nothing In The Water We Can't Fight". YouTube. July 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  17. ^ "Cloud Control Meditation Song #2 (Why, Oh Why)". YouTube. November 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  18. ^ "Clouds Depart". auspOp. November 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2020.[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ "CLOUDS RETURN". auspOp. February 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  20. ^ "Dojo Rising - single". Apple Music. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Scar - single". Apple Music. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Promises - single". Apple Music. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  23. ^ "cloud control - tombstone". YouTube. November 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  24. ^ "Rainbow City - single". Apple Music. May 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  25. ^ "Cloud Control: Treetops". YouTube. August 2017. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  26. ^ "Jagermeister Independent Music Awards Nominations Announced!". 1 September 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  27. ^ "History Wins". Australian Independent Record Labels Association. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  28. ^ "ARIA Awards Search Results - Cloud Control". ARIA Awards. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  29. ^ "The Australian Music Prize". Archived from the original on 22 February 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  30. ^ "Cloud Control - Bliss Release". 2010 J Awards. Retrieved 17 March 2011.