Better Boy

Ever since we had the chance to get used to dubstep, it's been splintering off into different areas. The mainstream's current infatuation with artists like Skrillex died a long time ago with the cool kids, and without discounting the ex-punk rocker, it's led to so many fresh takes on all things 140bpm that it's hard to keep up.

Take Boy Kid Cloud for example. The UK lad known by family and friends as Darryl Reid has taken dubstep's timing and wub wub elements and thrown some pretty disco and pop stylings into the mix. It all bleeds from a desire to be known as himself first, outside of any genre tags. “A lot of the time spent on making music hasn't really been focused on what I actually wanted to do. It's only recently I've been able to do what's inside my head and that's the best feeling,” Reid explains.

“I don't want to be in any genre-based discussion, I want people to listen to my music and say it's a song by Boy Kid Cloud and end there. Like I said before, I make exactly what I want, so how can you pigeonhole that!”

Add to this a rather beautiful falsetto vocal from the boy himself – another unique aspect to the genres he dabbles in – and Boy Kid Cloud has all the makings of an artist who won't be tied down. On the vocal side of things, Reid explains, “I've always sang in my bands in the past and sometimes if the song has nothing to it the vocals make it transform. It's just another instrument to me and I love doing as much as I possibly can to a piece of music to make it sound like a part of me rather than 'a beat'.”

Given Reid's personal connection to the music and the adoption of his own vocals for the tracks, a proper live show isn't far off, and it'll be sooner rather than later if he gets his way. “Boy Kid Cloud is not a DJ act,” he insists. “I've played instruments and sang since I was young and when I write I play everything; no drawing dots on a page. So as soon as [live shows are] a possibility it will be happening and on a large scale.

“DJ sets are a chance to really show everyone everything I'm making literally right now. I play things I've made ten minutes before a set sometimes! The reason live is not an option at the moment is it's a production and I'm a little bit of a perfectionist.”

Spruiking his Better Version Of Me EP, once he gets into some of the influences that shaped it things start to make even more sense. “In terms of things I enjoy making I'm very into soul and '70s porn-funk and '80s synth-pop… I love making it, I enjoy making music just in general. I don't ever restrict my bpms or synths, I just have fun. Prince is a big influence and my brother (Frank Benini, of Fun Lovin' Criminals) and his musical partner (Naim Cortazzi) are a massive inspiration to me too!”

And Reid will be pumping tracks from the EP, along with a whole lot more when he makes his maiden voyage to Australia next month, a surreal situation for the young producer who not that long ago was simply dabbling in bedroom beats. “It's mental. I'm so humbled to receive it too. If your reading this 'cause you like my music, thank you!”

And as for what fans can expect from his set at Shape this weekend, there'll be plenty of unreleased gear, and as you may have guessed, it won't be bogged down in any specific sonic realms. “A lot of new BKC things will be in there and in terms of live I will definitely have some things for people… I can't say a lot though,” Reid teases. “I play a lot of grime, garage… funkier-sounding dubstep, too.”

And this is definitely just the beginning. “I have so much I wanna show everyone. More tours are being planned as I type, videos etc. Gonna be a big year for me in terms of work for me to do! But I'm ready!”

Boy Kid Cloud will play the following shows:

Thursday 30 August - Club House, Canberra ACT
Friday 31 August - Oh Hello!, Brisbane QLD
Saturday 1 September - Shape Bar, Perth WA