Duncan Lloyd is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is the lead songwriter and backing vocalist for Maxïmo Park. He also works as a solo artist releasing albums on Warp Records and Crash Symbols. He works under the name, 'Decade In Exile' as well as his own name. He is also in the experimental band Res Band from Derby and alternative rock bandNano Kino. Alongside songwriting Lloyd is an exhibiting painter and photographer.
Biography
He is originally from Derby and moved to Newcastle to paint. Lloyd founded Maxïmo Park with his friend Archis Tiku. Before the band's record deal, Duncan worked in many varied jobs whilst writing and recording / producing the band. Duncan writes the majority of Maxïmo Park's music. He won Lyric of the Year for Maxïmo Park in 2006 on BBC 6 Music for one of the lines from the song "Graffiti" which he originally penned. His band have also been nominated for the Mercury Prize award. The music Lloyd wrote for the song "Going Missing" was used on the film "Stranger than Fiction" starring Will Ferrell & Maggie Gyllenhaal. Lloyd also works in soundtrack composition. He collaborates with composers Jon Boorman and Benson Taylor on music for film and television. With singer & guitarist Sarah Suri he formed the band Nano Kino. He is also part of the prolific experimental band Res Band who improvise songs only once and release them for free, over ten albums of original material has been released by Res Band which they have made available over the web.
Solo
Duncan recorded his first solo album entitled Seeing Double released on Warp Records on 6 October 2008 in the UK. The album was recorded on an eight-track in two days by Duncan himself. It was described in the UK magazine Mojo as "a solid set of beautiful melodies and chiming riffs that burrow into the soul". A limited edition single "Suzee" preceded the album release on 29 September in the UK, achieving 'Track of the Day' in Q Magazine. In 2017 he released IOUOME on Afternoon in Bed Records his first album under his own name in 9 years. Lloyd collaborated with Nicole Yun of US band Eternal Summerson the trackHeart in Delay with Yun singing back up vocals. Lloyd has since contributed guitar appearing alongside Doug Gillard of Guided by Voices on Nicole Yun's debut album Paper Suit out June 2019. Lloyd announced the release of his third albumOutside Notion out on 24 May 2019. Described in his press release as "a definite lean away from the indie rock he is known for. Orchestrated segments circle around telling insights, executed with a depth of tender maturity, his most adventurous & soulful record."
Decade In Exile
Lloyd started 'Decade In Exile' in 2010 as an outlet for his own musical experimenting and songwriting. He has released both cassette and vinyl versions of his work. In 2013 he released the self-titled 'Decade In Exile' EP on limited vinyl. The song 'Patti's Town' taken from the EP was written about the songwriter Patti Smith after he read the book, "Just Kids". The song reached number one in Altrok 90.5 playlist charts in the U.S along with being playlisted on WFMU and BBC 6 Music On 6 May 2014, still under the name, 'Decade In Exile', Lloyd released the album 'Transit / Pulse' through the label 'Crash Symbols' based in Morgantown, West Virginia. The cassette consists of mainly experimental instrumentals composed in reaction to the loss of Lloyd's father. Crash Symbols describe the release; "Somber guitar, loops, and a heavily textured backdrop give some songs the character of ragas, particularly on shorter tracks. It is largely Lloyd's periodic singing that amounts to the album's only distinct signal for the shift from meditation to consciousness. These tracks are beautiful and willful, and among Lloyd's most varied creations to date."
Nano Kino
In 2015, Lloyd founded Nano Kino with singer Sarah Suri. Bonding over a mutual love of early 4AD and Broadcast. Surfing on the Void is their debut 4 track EP. With Andy Martin & Tom English joining on bass & drums they are currently working on their first album.
