Artist Spotlight: Meet David Cloyd
Credit: Photo by Taylor Ballantyne
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Ocean Of Hours" and the story it tells?
The song is a good introduction to this new record as a whole—and it tells the story of where I’ve been, and where I am now. It’s about a storm. Life is full of storms, and you’re often heading into one, in the middle of one, or on your way out of one. They can tell you the truth about who you are and what you’re made of, and the truth about the people in your life. It all goes by really fast, so you’d better pay attention.
Were there any challenges or breakthrough moments during the songwriting process for this song?
“Ocean Of Hours” is one of the first songs I wrote for this album, and I remember feeling like it came way too quickly. I didn’t have time to obsess over it like I usually did, and as a result, it felt like cheating. Thankfully, I stayed time-starved, and it led to an epiphany—rather than get lost in my head, I was forced to work quickly and focus on the urgency of the emotion in the moment. It took a while to trust my judgment, but I wrote all of these songs under similar circumstances. It feels much more dangerous to write that way, and I think that’s why the songs are so direct and honest.
The lyric “where did the time go” speaks to the length of time since I last released music, during which I moved to Buffalo and raised a family. Quite a “storm” in itself. With this release, I’m finally on my way out of that storm, and ready to sail again.
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for this single to life?
I recorded everything for this track in my home recording studio. I wouldn’t be able to do that successfully without my producer, Blake Morgan. His process is a familiar one to me (he produced my earlier records Unhand Me, You Fiend!, and I Could Disappear), one of the storyboarding and cinematic approaches that put focus on artistry, rather than creativity. He’s an artist, so we speak the same language.
We worked closely together on pre-production, which allowed me to plan as a producer rather than react. Then we put on our engineering hats to create the right technical environment for me here in Buffalo—one that keeps everything very simple, but gets me as close as possible to his NYC studio so it’s relatively seamless for him to get his magic going.
I am NOT a gear head, so it’s crucial for me to make the recording process as untechnical as possible. Because of the preparation, I went into the studio with everything I needed as an artist to make the music I was hearing. It was incredibly freeing.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
The same thing that inspires me to breathe: I can’t live without it. I’ve been a musician since before I remember. I started playing piano when I was about 3 or 4 years old, picking out songs by ear that my older sister was practicing at the time. I pursued piano and saxophone seriously all the way through high school, and then I took a left turn at college. During my first year at UT in Austin, I taught myself bass and guitar, played in several bands around town, and started writing songs. I’d even moved into the fine arts dorm, as a biochemistry major. If I wasn’t in class, I was playing music. I switched majors at the end of my second year, and never looked back.
Are there any upcoming projects or releases that you're particularly excited about?
“Ocean of Hours” is the first single from my forthcoming new record Red Sky Warning which will be released in early 2025. My label (ECR Music Group) is releasing two more singles prior to the album launch, which will be very exciting. The early and overwhelming reaction to this first single has meant so much to me. I’ll also be relaunching my Buffalo concert series MIXTAPES in 2025. At each show, I share the stage with another songwriter (some local, some national) and a string quartet. I’ve always loved performing with strings, so it’s a real dream come true. The challenge of being the impresario, producer, arranger, and artist is so complex and satisfying, and this year I’m adding collaborative songwriting to the experience as well. A different kind of storm, one I welcome!
