Colorama is the longest running musical project of Welsh singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer,

Carwyn Ellis Carwyn Ellis (born Carwyn Meurig Ellis; 9 August 1973) is a Welsh musician, composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known as the frontman of British alternative band Colorama, as a member of The Pretenders and as a ...

and an ever-revolving cast of collaborators. Stylistically best described as alternative indie pop, Colorama is an eclectic hybrid of genres and languages.

History

Colorama emerged as a

home-recording project when he moved from London to Liverpool in 2006, the first shows being as a duo with Ellis's best friend David Fletcher, on double bass.
After a stint in Japan touring with Japanese group

Quruli is a Japanese music group formed in 1996. As of March 2021, the lineup consists of Shigeru Kishida and Masashi Sato. Their music is produced and distributed by Victor Entertainment. Career After meeting at "Rock Commune," Ritsumeikan Universit ...

, Ellis released his debut album as Colorama, ''Cookie Zoo'' on Quruli's own label, Noise McCartney Records /

Victor Entertainment , also known as in Japan, is a subsidiary of JVCKenwood that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It is known as JVC Entertainment in countries where Sony Music Ent ...

, and a debut single, ''Sound'' via Redbricks Recordings in the UK, both in 2008. As a touring act, Colorama was augmented with the addition of Luca Guernieri on drums and Matthew Evans on guitar. Through various lineups Colorama have since played

Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contemp ...

Latitude Festival The Latitude Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Henham Park, near Southwold, Suffolk, England. It was first held in July 2006 and has been held every year since, apart from 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 ...

Green Man Festival The Green Man Festival is an independent music, science and arts festival held annually in mid-August in the Brecon Beacons, Wales. Green Man has evolved into a 25,000 capacity week long event, showcasing predominantly live music (in particular ...

Port Eliot Festival The Port Eliot Lit Fest is an annual celebration of all things literary taking place at Port Eliot in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. It was founded by the late Jago Eliot. Guests who have attended the festival in past years are Hanif Kureishi, ...

Truck Festival Truck Festival is an annual independent music festival in Oxfordshire, England. It was started in 1998 by the Bennett family (including the brothers Robin and Joe of the band Goldrush), who decided that mainstream festivals such as Glastonbu ...

, The Sŵn Festival, The Apple Cart Festival, National Eisteddfodau, Cloudspotting Festival,

Home Game In sports, home is the place and venue identified with a team sport. Most professional teams are named for, and marketed to, particular metropolitan areas; amateur teams may be drawn from a particular region, or from institutions such as sch ...

Festival N°6 Festival N°6 (Festival Number 6) is an annual art and music festival held in and around Portmeirion, North Wales. The festival presents a wide range of music genres across multiple stages. It is advertised as a family-friendly festival, and as su ...

and more. In the summer of 2009, the tragic news was announced that their double bass player, David Fletcher (who was also working as Principal Double Bass of the

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is a music organisation based in Liverpool, England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmon ...

) had died on 29 June, from a heart attack suffered in his sleep, just days after Colorama's appearance at

. In September 2009, ''Magic Lantern Show'', featuring songs in

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

and English was released with ''Dere Mewn'' becoming a modern classic in Wales and garnering rave reviews and much airplay on both sides of the border. In 2010 Colorama released their third album ''BOX'' on Noise McCartney Records (

)in Japan and See Monkey Do Monkey Recordings in the UK. Shortly afterwards, they released a Christmas single, ''Cerdyn Nadolig ( Christmas Card )'' which reached Number 1 on the

BBC Radio Cymru BBC Radio Cymru is a Welsh language radio network owned and operated by BBC Cymru Wales, a division of the BBC. It broadcasts on two stations across Wales on FM, DAB, digital TV and online. The main network broadcasts for hours a day from ...

Christmas chart.
''BOX'' was also nominated for the inaugural

Welsh Music Prize The Welsh Music Prize is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from Wales, as voted for by members of the music industry. It was founded by music promoter John Rostron and radio presenter Huw Stephens in 2011. It was originally schedul ...

. The following year, Colorama released ''Llyfr Lliwio ( Colouring Book )'', which was their first predominantly Welsh-language collection. August 2012 saw their fifth album release – ''Good Music'', produced by

Edwyn Collins Edwyn Stephen Collins (born 23 August 1959) is a Scottish musician, producer and record label owner from Edinburgh, Scotland. Collins was the lead singer for the 1980s post-punk band Orange Juice, which he co-founded. After the group split in ...

and Sebastian Lewsley, and featured high in many an end-of year best album list (2012). In November 2012 Colorama released a limited-edition 12" single, ''Hapus?'' (Happy?) on Aficionado Recordings. In 2014, Colorama released a new EP, ''Heaven's Hotel'', a new album ''TEMARI'', followed by a split single, ''Yn Rhydiau'r Afon / Forget Tomorrow'' with

The Joy Formidable The Joy Formidable is a Welsh people, Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 2007 in Mold, Flintshire, and currently based in London, England. The band consists of Rhiannon "Ritzy" Bryan (lead vocals, guitar), Rhydian Dafydd (bass guitar, bass, ...

. In summer 2014,

Ellis Ellis is a surname of Welsh and English origin. Retrieved 21 January 2014 An independent French origin of the surname is said to derive from the phrase fleur-de-lis. Surname A * Abe Ellis (Stargate), a fictional character in the TV series ' ...

moved to Berlin. There he recorded electronic music as Zarelli, releasing an album, ''Soft Rains'' in 2015 which featuring the voice of

Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...

narrating the

Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and r ...

short story '' There Will Come Soft Rains''. That year, Ellis also collaborated with

and Seb Lewsley on the soundtrack to the film ''The Possibilities Are Endless'', composing much of its original score, which opened in October 2014 to great critical success, winning the

Mojo Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...

'Film Of The Year' Award. During his time in Berlin, a compilation of all of Ellis's Welsh songs as Colorama was released on his own new Agati label, entitled ''Dere Mewn!''.
In September 2017, ''Some Things Just Take Time'' was released, showing Ellis taking a more acoustic, folk-influenced direction. The album was produced by

& Liam Watson. Other collaborators included Ellis's close friends Cody and

Luther Dickinson Luther Andrews Dickinson (born January 18, 1973) is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars and the son of record producer Jim Dickinson. He is also known for being the lead guitarist for The Black Crowes. He hosts ''G ...

(

Black Crowes Black is a color which results from the absence or complete Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption of visible spectrum, visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or fi ...

and

North Mississippi Allstars North Mississippi Allstars is an American blues and southern rock band from Hernando, Mississippi, founded in 1996. The band is currently composed of brothers Luther Dickinson (guitar, lowebow, vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, keyboards, elect ...

), Rob and

James Walbourne James Walbourne is a British singer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the current lead guitarist in The Pretenders as well as one-half of The Rails. Biography When he was young he wanted to play in clubs around America and to fulfil ...

(

The Rails The Rails is a folk rock band from London, England, composed of husband and wife James Walbourne and Kami Thompson. Thompson and Walbourne first met during the recording sessions for ''Versatile Heart'' by Thompson's mother Linda Thompson in 2 ...

The Pretenders Pretenders are an English–American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Fa ...

The Pogues The Pogues were an English or Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band fronted by Shane MacGowan and others, founded in Kings Cross, London in 1982, as "Pogue Mahone" – the anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic ''póg mo thóin'', meaning "kiss my arse". T ...

), Jason Wilson ( The James Hunter Six) and

B. J. Cole Brian John Cole is an English pedal steel guitarist, who has long been active as a session and solo musician. Coming to prominence in the early 1970s with the band Cochise, Cole has played in many styles, ranging from mainstream pop and rock to ...

. Recorded as live to capture the energy and excitement of Colorama's performances, the album was put straight to tape in London at Edwyn's West Heath Yard Studios and at Liam Watson's

Toe Rag Studios Toe Rag Studios is an analogue recording studio located in Hackney, London, England. History The studio was founded in 1991 by Liam Watson and Josh Collins in the Shoreditch area of London. In 1997, the business relocated to Hackney due to ...

. 2018 saw the tenth anniversary re-issue of Colorama's debut album, ''Cookie Zoo'', made available for the first time outside of Japan via a new Madrid-based record label, Banana & Louie Records. Following ''Some Things Just Take Time'',

worked extensively both with

and with

. Whilst on tour in South America,

Chrissie Hynde Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alon ...

suggested that he make an album in Welsh with Brazilian musicians – this he did in Rio de Janeiro late in 2018, releasing ''Joia!'' as the first solo project under his own name,

& Rio 18 in 2019. During this period, Ellis also recorded intermittently with American producer and multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee at his studio in London, which ultimately resulted in the eighth studio album as Colorama, ''Chaos Wonderland''. This was released 31 July 2020, and featured a guest appearance from Icelandic-Sri Lankan artist

Lay Low Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir (born 10 September 1982), better known by her stage name, Lay Low, is an Icelandic musician and singer. Biography Lovísa was born to a Sri Lankan father and an Icelandic mother. She moved to Iceland at a ...

on vocal. The most recent album ''Chaos Wonderland'' was nominated for the

Discography

Albums

*''Chaos Wonderland'' (2020, Spain); Banana & Louie Records *''10th Anniversary Cookie Zoo'' (2018, Spain); Banana & Louie Records *''Some Things Just Take Time'' (2017, UK); Agati *''TEMARI'' (2014, UK); AED Records *''Good Music'' (2012, UK); AED Records *''Llyfr Lliwio'' / ''Colouring Book'' (2011, UK); See Monkey Do Monkey *''BOX'' (2010, UK); See Monkey Do Monkey (2010, Japan); Noise McCartney Records /

*''Magic Lantern Show'' (2009, UK); Redbricks Recordings *''Cookie Zoo'' (2008, Japan); NOISE McCARTNEY RECORDS /

Singles

*''Dusty Road'' (2020, UK); Agati *''And'' (2020, UK); Agati *''Forget Tomorrow'' (2014, UK); Aruthrol *''Hapus?'' (2012, UK); Aficionado Recordings *''Cerdyn Nadolig'' /''Christmas Card'' (2010, UK); See Monkey Do Monkey *''Sound'' (2007, UK); Redbricks Recordings

EPs

*''Heaven's Hotel'' (2014, UK); AED Records *''Do the Pump'' (2013, UK); AED Records

Compilation albums

*''Dere Mewn!'' (2015, UK); Agati *''#40 Mawr Radio Cymru'' (2015, UK); Sain *''Mannequins'' (2009, UK); Kartel *''The Music Sounds Better With Huw: Vol. 1'' (2009, UK);

Wichita Recordings Wichita Recordings is an independent record label located in London, founded in 2000 by Mark Bowen and Dick Green. Its most notable signees include Bloc Party, The Cribs, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket, Yeah Yeah Ye ...

Remixes

*''

Dive Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), a ...

(Colorama & Shawn Lee Remix) – Saint Etienne'' (2017, UK);

Heavenly Recordings Heavenly Recordings is a London-based independent record label founded by Jeff Barrett in 1990. Heavenly released the first albums from Saint Etienne (band), Saint Etienne, Beth Orton and Doves (band), Doves, and early singles by Manic Street P ...

*''Waiting Around (Colorama Colorific Remix) – John Stammers'' (2017, UK)
Wonderfulsound
*''Idle I'm (Colorama Coloured in Remix) – John Stammers'' (2013, UK)
Wonderfulsound
*''Two Times (Colorama Remix) – La Musique Numerique – AM & Shawn Lee'' (2013, US)
Park the Van

References

Wales Arts Review ''Wales Arts Review'' is a critical writing hub for Wales. Originally published fortnightly, the site has published daily since 2016. It offers a critique, by Welsh and Wales-based writers, of various social and cultural aspects of Wales. Histor ...

''
The changing man – Carwyn Ellis
at ''Western Mail''
Interview – Colorama
at Themmp.tv
Interview – Carwyn Ellis talks new Colorama album Some Things Just Take Time, songwriting, and Wales
at ''Getintothis''
IN CONVERSATION – Colorama’s Carwyn Ellis on new ‘Chaos Wonderland’ album
at ''Getintothis'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Colorama Musical groups established in 2007 2007 establishments in Wales British psychedelic rock music groups Welsh rock music groups Welsh-language bands