Codes in the Clouds

Codes in the Clouds

Codes in the Clouds are an instrumental post-rock group formed in 2007 in Dartford, London. The band consists of Stephen Peeling, Ciaran Morahan, Rob Smith, Jack Major and Joe Power.

Background and style

The group is based in the British post-rock scene and is known for instrumental music with cinematic qualities. Their sound combines guitar-led melodies with contrasts such as melancholic and uplifting, delicate and powerful.

Releases and label

Codes in the Clouds sign to the London-based independent label Erased Tapes Records. Their debut album, Paper Canyon, is released in 2009 and helps establish the band internationally. In 2010 they put out Paper Canyon Recycled, a remix album built from an open call for reinterpretations of tracks from the debut, with contributions from artists including Paul Mullen, Maybeshewill, Worriedaboutsatan, Machinefabriek, Library Tapes, Rival Consoles and Nils Frahm. Sales from the remix release support Friends of the Earth.

As The Spirit Wanes

The band’s second studio album, As The Spirit Wanes, is recorded in six days at Brighton Electric and co-produced by Robert Raths and Ryan West. Nils Frahm masters the album in Berlin. The record reflects personal loss and shared experiences within the group, and includes tracks such as Look Back, Look Up, Washington and If I’d Have Known This Was The Last.

Reception and activity

Codes in the Clouds gain attention through touring, festival appearances and early support for the single Distant Street Lights/Fractures, which receives radio play from Huw Stephens and is named Single of the Week on Drowned in Sound. The band remains active from 2007 to the present.