Majical Cloudz

Majical Cloudz
Majical Cloudz performing at SXSW in 2013
Majical Cloudz performing at SXSW in 2013
Background information
OriginMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres
Years active2010–2016
Labels
Past members

Majical Cloudz was a Canadian music group from Montreal consisting of singer-songwriter Devon Welsh and Matt Otto. The group disbanded in March 2016.[4]

History

Welsh, the son of actor Kenneth Welsh and Corinne Farago,[5] began Majical Cloudz as a collaborative open project in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 2010. Welsh first collaborated with friend Matthew E. Duffy, releasing a self-titled cassette on Numbers Station, followed by an EP, Earth to a Friend/Mountain Eyes. They released their debut full-length album II in 2011.[6] Duffy left the group shortly after in 2011.

Otto, an electronic musician with a penchant for abstract soundscapes,[7] joined in 2012, appearing for the first time on the EP Turns, Turns, Turns.[6]

Their second album, Impersonator, was released May 21, 2013 on Matador Records, and was a longlisted nominee for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.[8] The band toured extensively throughout North America and Europe to support the album, including performances at Toronto's NXNE festival[9] and New York City's Northside Festival.[10] Pitchfork ranked Impersonator as their eighth best album of 2013.[11]

In 2014, the group toured with Lorde on the North American leg of her tour.[12]

The band's third album, Are You Alone?, was released on October 16, 2015 to critical acclaim.[13][14][15] The album was nominated for a Juno Award.[16]

In January, 2016, the band released an EP, called Wait And See.[17] The group again collaborated with Owen Pallett, who also appeared on Are You Alone?[7]

In an episode called "Paradise" of the streaming series "The OA" (season 1, episode 5), which originally aired December 16, 2016, the Majical Cloudz song "Downtown" was featured.

On March 4, 2016, Welsh announced on social media that he and Otto were going their separate ways, and that Are You Alone? would be their last full release.[18] Both Welsh and Otto have gone on to pursue other projects.[4]

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

  • Earth to a Friend/Mountain Eyes (2011)
  • Turns Turns Turns (2012)
  • Wait & See (2016)

Singles

  • Childhood's End (2013)
  • Tour Journals (2014)

References

  1. ^ Sendra, Tim. "Majical Cloudz". AllMusic. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  2. ^ Geslani, Michelle (September 9, 2015). "Majical Cloudz keeps it intimate in new video for "Silver Car Crash" — listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  3. ^ Cosores, Philip (January 31, 2016). "Live Review: Majical Cloudz at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever (1/29)". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Former Majical Cloudz Members Devon Welsh and Matthew E. Duffy Share a New Album As Belave". Noisey. 2016-03-18. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  5. ^ "We Talked To Majical Cloudz". Vice, January 4, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Lost in the Cloudz". Sydney Morning Herald, June 27, 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Cover Story: Majical Cloudz". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  8. ^ "Polaris Music Prize Unveils 2013 Long List". Exclaim!, June 13, 2012.
  9. ^ "NXNE: Majical Cloudz in pursuit of the perfect song". Toronto Star, June 14, 2013.
  10. ^ "Urgently Trying to Get Messages to Audiences". The New York Times, June 15, 2013.
  11. ^ "The Top 50 Albums of 2013 | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  12. ^ "Majical Cloudz Talks Tour with Lorde, Premieres Tim Hecker's 'Savage' Remix". Billboard, June 30, 2014.
  13. ^ "Majical Cloudz: Are You Alone? Album Review | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  14. ^ "Majical Cloudz 'Are You Alone?' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  15. ^ "Review: Majical Cloudz, 'Are You Alone?'". Spin. 2015-10-12. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  16. ^ "Drake, the Weeknd, Tobias Jesso Jr., Majical Cloudz, Destroyer, Adele, More Nominated for Juno Awards | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  17. ^ "Majical Cloudz Release Wait & See EP | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  18. ^ "Greener pastures". MAJICAL CLOUDZ. Retrieved 2018-02-03.