Little Clouds have released their debut full length album Quiet Life on Peppermint Grove Records. Their Sydney album launch will be a Peppermint Grove Studios on Feb 17! Get tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/little-clouds-broken-creek-and-laura-altman-at-peppermint-grove-studios
Little Clouds is the musical project that emerged when Nick Henderson, a prog-metal-loving inner-west jazz musician, showed his secret soft songs to Emily-Rose Sarkova, a recovering classical pianist with a desire to explore something more personal.
Like its two creators, Little Clouds’ debut album Quiet Life plays with musical contrasts. “Nick errs on the side of making things more simple, whereas I tend to overcomplicate” Emily-Rose says. Nick laughs and quickly adds, “I like how Emily-Rose is not afraid to bung a big ol’ jazz chord in”. Bringing together their diverse musical backgrounds, Little Clouds move between guitar, bass, banjo, piano, keys, synths, accordion and vocals, and are joined by some of the cream of Australia’s jazz and folk instrumentalists for horn chorales and string sections.
The lyrics are deep wells, inspired by the intricate arrangements and deft songwriting of artists like Sufjan Stevens, Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones, The Magic Lantern and Andy Shauf. “This project is a place where I get to explore small intimate feelings and thoughts about the world,” Emily-Rose says.
It was during the pandemic that Emily-Rose and Nick moved in together, built a recording studio and started their home grown record label ‘Peppermint Grove Records’ based in the Sydney suburb of Engadine.
The global pandemic confined these two of Sydney’s hardest gigging musicians into their home on Dharawal Country, South Sydney. Many of the songs wrestle with this sudden change, “Who are you when the things you did before are now all gone?” sings Emily-Rose on “Perfume”.
Steadily becoming popular producers in the Sydney alt folk, songwriter and jazz scene, this album is a calling card for their skill and attention to detail in the studio. Fans have described Quiet Life as ‘a warm hug’, ‘stunning’, ‘so beautiful’, ‘a masterpiece’ and ‘the perfect Australian summer album for 2024’.
“Little Clouds is where we put the small fluffy feel-good things, where thoughts are allowed to drift” Emily-Rose says.
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