KLOUD has carved out a distinctive place in electronic music with a project built around anonymity, originality, and complete artistic independence.
Photo credit: KLOUD – Official
Born and raised in Los Angeles, the producer has spent more than two decades crafting music across multiple electronic genres before finding his current home in techno. Known for performing his own productions exclusively, KLOUD has developed an unmistakable identity defined by deep basslines, driving percussion, and a minimalist aesthetic centered around his signature red square.
Inspired by artists who have remained true to their creative vision, KLOUD continues to expand his WE ARE KLOUD movement while taking his live show across the US and Europe, with upcoming performances including stops in San Francisco, Nashville, Chicago, Austin, Las Vegas, Detroit, Terminal V Croatia, and Berlin.
To celebrate this run of shows, KLOUD selects the ten tracks that have inspired him throughout his life.
1. Radiohead – Everything in Its Right Place
“Radiohead is my favorite band of all. Their ability to create timeless records, push boundaries, and stay true to their artistic self is admirable and influential. This song in particular has such a spiritual meaning for me.”
2. TOOL – Forty Six & 2
“Like Radiohead, TOOL has the same influence over me. Their ability to create music that can be enjoyed by millions while using odd time signatures and powerful sounds morphed the way I listen to music and my desire to create outside the box.”
3. Linkin Park – One Step Closer
“My introduction to ‘popular music’ that transcends beyond the surface level. Linkin Park pushed electronic sounds and rock into the masses, and their immensely catchy songwriting will always be influential to me.”
4. Darude – Feel The Beat
“A classic… this record reverberated through my head as a child and helped build the foundation for my taste in dance music. I wanted to keep dance records out of this list, but this one had to stay. The vocal repeating over and over, soaring over the euphoric chords, captured me and heavily influenced my earlier records as a starting producer in trance.”
5. Powerman 5000 – When Worlds Collide
“This entire CD was on replay for me as a kid, and this song mirrored the cross between ‘dance’ and ‘harder music’.”
6. Radiohead – Nude
“One of my favourite songs of all time. I love softer music, coincidentally, and this one has a special place in my heart for the experiences I had at the time.”
7. Korn – Freak On A Leash
“All-time classic. This entire album is. I could’ve picked any song on this album, and they all have the same influence on me. Heavy, catchy, unique… KORN has it all.”
8. Incubus – Vitamin
“Somewhat a funkier side of Incubus, this entire album, and specifically this song, has a place in my heart.”
9. Moderat – The Fool
“More current, this band, and this song specifically, speaks to my maturity of music taste. I enjoy softer music for the most part, and most of these other records I don’t listen to as often but that were highly influential. This record for me is influential because of the emotion behind the vocals as well as the instrumental. It’s the cross between band and electronica that hits for me.”
10. Between The Buried and Me – Mordecai
“A classic for me. Organized chaos. Absolutely absurdity combined with beauty. The songs by BTBAM have helped me think in a chaotic and formative way. Their skill is beyond mine.”
KLOUD is currently touring across the US. Find tour dates here.
Follow KLOUD: Spotify | SoundCloud | Instagram
