Representative Albums: "One Way, It's Every Way", "Lily Perdida", "Come Here When You Sleepwalk
Biography
The project of Adelaide, Australia's Mark Mitchell, Clue to Kalo began as glitchy laptop pop but evolved into a symphonic indie pop band. As a child, Mitchell pretended he was a recording artist, making up songs and cover artwork for fake albums, but didn't want to learn how to play an instrument. He channeled his imagination into writing -- and even pursued a Ph.D. in English -- but revisited making music when a high-school friend showed him computer multi-track recording. Mitchell began experimenting with electronic music, and he became proficient enough that Mush Records released his first album, Come Here When You Sleepwalk, in 2003. While on tour for that album, Mitchell enlisted a band of backing musicians who had almost as little musical experience as he did. Playing music live with other people had an effect on Clue to Kalo's next album, 2005's One Way, It's Every Way. Mitchell conceived the album as a "musical palindrome," with more negative songs in its first half and more positive ones in the second, but its mix of live and electronic instrumentation and more sophisticated song structures made it a departure from Come Here When You Sleepwalk. The vinyl-only Man Who Took a Step Expecting a Stair But Instead Got Level Ground EP, which arrived in late 2006, moved Clue to Kalo further toward live instrumentation and featured a cover of the Beatles' "Mother Nature's Son." Mitchell and company finished the third Clue to Kalo full-length, Lily Perdida, in 2007, but the album -- which told the story of a woman from birth to death via the people around her -- wasn't released until early 2009. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
Clue to Kalo is a Folktronica band from Adelaide, South Australia, featuring Mark Mitchell and a revolving cast of supporting musicians. Clue To Kalo’s initial commercial success came in the US through LA-based Mush Records. [1] They were featured in Spin as Artist of the Day in September 2005. [2]Lily Perdida, released 20 January, 2009, has received critical favor. [3][4]
Adelaide's Clue to Kalo began as Mark Mitchell's solo recording project, piecing together samples and electronic instruments into "multilayered... homemade puzzle pop". [5] As the band developed into a full line-up, Mark continued to record the base tracks on his computer, allowing the other members to layer their contributions on top. [6][7] Their 2005 release, One Way, It's Every Way, earned them a spot in that year's South by Southwest festival. [8] Clue to Kalo completed recording Lily Perdida in 2007, with Ellen Carey as a fulltime member.
Mark has suspended his pursuit of a PhD in English Cultural Studies at a South Australian University to support the band full-time. [3]
