Cloud Cult Releases New Single 'The Universe Woke Up As You'

Indie-chamber-rock band Cloud Cult has released “The Universe Woke Up As You”. This is the lead single from the band’s forthcoming new full-length studio album Alchemy Creek which is due out August 8th via Earthology Records and follows last month’s “As Beautiful As It Hurts” and May’s “I Am A Forcefield.” Alchemy Creek was written, recorded, and produced by the band’s frontman Craig Minowa in the middle of the Wisconsin woods after a difficult divorce. Processing the grief through music, Minowa says of the new album, “While the world around me felt wildly out of my control, I needed music that could remind me that the one thing I do have control of is my perspective, which, in turn, gives me back control of my world."

Alchemy Creek will drop just one day ahead of the band’s headlining slot on August 9th at the People Fest in Yuba, WI and then on August 28th Cloud Cult kick-off a headline tour at The Sinclair in Boston, MA that includes stops at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC, World Café Live in Philly, Neptune Theatre in Seattle, Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR and two nights at the Palace Theater in St. Paul.

Over the past two years, Minowa has been releasing a steady stream of weekly Cloud Cult songs and videos exclusive to its Patreon base, ranking the band as one of the top content creators on the platform. Alchemy Creek formed over that period and while Minowa was largely isolated throughout the process, he invited his bandmates out this past spring for recording sessions of violin (Shannon Frid-Rubin), cello (Daniel Zamzow), French horn (Sarah Perbix), trombone (Shawn Neary), and drums (Jeremy Harvey). Minowa oversaw the mixing and production to ensure the feeling of the cabin would be maintained. “All of the songs on the record are connected together to present one nonstop story, and I want the listener to feel like they are sitting there by the creek watching the whole album unfold.” said Minowa. “Providing a sense of place in this album was paramount.” Mastering was done at Rare Form Mastering by Greg Reierson, who has mastered eight of Cloud Cult’s records.

Hailed as one of the “Top 10 Green Bands” by Rolling Stone in 2009, Cloud Cult’s efforts to record and release music as well as tour in the most sustainable way possible are unmatched. Minowa, who holds a degree in Environmental Science, created the band’s own Earthology Records and co-developed the first 100% postconsumer recycled CD packaging in the U.S. market. The band began zero net greenhouse gas practices for tours long before it was trendy and their merchandise is 100% postconsumer recycled or made of certified organic materials. Cloud Cult has planted several thousand trees to absorb the band's CO2 output, their studio is powered by solar power and built partially from reclaimed wood and recycled plastic, and they donate heavily to projects that build wind turbines as revenue generators on Native American Reservations.

Originally forming in Minnesota, Cloud Cult boasts a rich ten-album history of bucking the mainstream music industry in favor of independently releasing music via their environmentally-conscious record label Earthology Records. The common thread through what they do as a creative collective is explore the medicinal powers of music and art in life’s journey through pain, love, and catharsis. Minowa shared part of that journey on NPR’s On Being back in 2016. The band’s philosophical lyrics and alternative-orchestral-folk-rock sound has been lauded by critics as “insane genius” (Pitchfork) and “an invocation of the life force” (New York Times). Minowa started Cloud Cult as a solo studio project after the unexpected loss of his son and has grown to the present day with an evolving lineup of string, brass, and rock musicians. Known for incorporating live painting into their concerts since their inception, the Wall Street Journal labeled Cloud Cult as “pioneers of multimedia artistry.” This was highlighted in 2016 with The Seeker album and film – starring Josh Radnor & Alex McKenna – landing on Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List,” and garnering prestigious awards on the indie film festival circuit as well as with the band’s most recent 2022 album Metamorphosis, composed for the Minnesota Orchestra.

The band is excited to bring the new music into the live arena with the upcoming tour that will have Cloud Cult delivering their unique indie-chamber rock via high energy performances in key cities throughout the US. Alchemy Creek Tour continues in January with more dates to be announced.

Confirmed Cloud Cult US Headline Tour Dates & Festivals:

August 9 @ People Fest in Yuba, WI
August 28 @ The Sinclair in Boston, MA
August 29 @ Le Poisson Rouge in New York, NY
August 30 @ World Café Live in Philadelphia, PA
August 31 @ Summer Entertainment Series in Fairfax, VA
September 12 @ Neptune Theatre in Seattle, WA
September 13 @ Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR
September 27 @ Palace Theater in St. Paul, MN
September 28 @ Palace Theater in St. Paul, MN

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