C37 (Paul Cudby) turns diary-like memories into emotional downbeat—felt piano, guitar, and delicate electronics shaped by the Lake District—and Into Thin Air captures the beauty and ache of people who touch our lives and then disappear.
The Interview
Introduction
Q: For those who don’t know you yet: how would you describe yourself as an artist today—and what does the name C37 represent for you?
C37: There’s an old stone bridge near my hometown called Cuckoo Arch. I once had a band named after it, before I moved further into the Lake District. The band included my childhood friend and my younger brother, and it was a deeply personal experience. I kept all the recordings but never released them. I still draw on those times and sounds when I make music as C37. The “C” comes from Cuckoo, and “37” was my parents’ house number—where all the recording took place. Maybe one day I’ll release those recordings.
Q: Your journey includes heavy rock in the 1990s (including touring and a record deal), later shifting toward more textured influences—and eventually electronic music as your main storytelling medium. What were the key turning points that brought you from that world to the C37 sound?
C37: We’d play thrash metal by day and Pink Floyd by night. We were exposed to all kinds of music. Being close to Manchester obviously meant The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Joy Division, and a thriving rave scene—then bands like Happy Mondays started blending the two worlds. But the real turning point was when I moved out of my marital home. A young person I worked with (in care) played me a track they loved: “Aurol Therapy” by fwrd/slash. That was the moment I realised electronic music could have a real emotional impact. I’m very thankful for that moment.
Latest Work
Q: Please introduce Into Thin Air in your own words. What kind of album is it for you—and how would you like listeners to approach it?
C37: Into Thin Air reflects a twelve-month period of intensely mixed feelings. Each song is directly linked to a moment or feeling from that time. I was going to call it “Foxglove” after the beautiful flower here—which is poisonous. Beauty can hide a great deal of hurt. Listening to it now takes me back to each moment, but not as intensely as during the creation of the tracks. If anyone connects with any of those moments—the sadness or the more hopeful parts—then I’ve done what I set out to do.
Q: This is your second album, following Beautiful Beginnings. In what ways does Into Thin Air deepen or expand what you started with your debut?
C37: Into Thin Air was definitely a big step in evolving the sound and style I want C37 to be. Beautiful Beginnings was more raw—made during a time when my personal life felt overwhelming.
Q: You said this album tries to capture how people enter our lives, impact us emotionally, and then vanish “into thin air.” What moments or emotions were you trying to hold onto most while writing these tracks—love, loss, hope, something else?
C37: Mainly loss, dotted with moments of hope. C37 was born out of the ashes of a 20-year marriage and raising four children, ending in divorce. However, C37 doesn’t document that time directly; it captures the attempt to rebuild your life, navigate new relationships, and find a sense of peace.
Creative Approach
Q: The album opens with “Head Space,” weaving in sounds from real life and nature—almost like painting with sound—before the felt piano and guitar pull us into your inner world. Why did you choose that as the opening door into the album?
C37: I still love the music and atmosphere of this track, and I’m proud I was able to capture that particular week in sound. The field recording underneath it was given to me by the person the track is for. It simply felt like the right way to set the tone for what follows across the album.
Q: Your music blends emotive piano progressions, layered guitars, ethereal samples, and a hypnotic pulse. When you’re building a track, what usually comes first for you—the chords, a texture, a beat, a melody, or a feeling?
C37: Nine times out of ten, it’s the feeling that pushes me to start exploring chord progressions. If the chords don’t match the feeling—or I can’t quite achieve it—or, more importantly, it starts to require too much thinking, I stop. When it’s spontaneous—driven by emotion, and it just happens—I know it’s right for C37.
Personal & Creativity
Q: You’ve described early C37 releases as almost like diary entries set to music. Does that still feel true on Into Thin Air—and how do you decide what stays private versus what becomes a song?
C37: Yes—this is still the whole purpose of C37. It’s my diary. So when an album is compiled, you’re getting a dozen “pages” torn out and given away. Of course, some things stay private, but I remain grateful to the person who inspired most of it—even if that time brought huge spikes of sadness and joy for both of us. Without that period, I would never have come to rely on music again. Silver linings.
Q: The Lake District seems deeply connected to your work—you even visit specific beauty spots to spark ideas. Can you describe how a place becomes a sound in your mind? (Is it harmony, rhythm, ambience, tempo, silence?)
C37: I live a few minutes from a staggeringly beautiful estuary, with the South Lakeland fells as its backdrop. This place features in nearly all the social media clips I post. There are lots of memories attached to the area, so blending those thoughts with the ambience of the place at sunset is inspirational. Translating that into sound is generally achieved by softening high frequencies and using underlying white noise—or something similar.
Q: When self-doubt or creative silence shows up, what helps you move through it—especially when you’re working with such emotional themes?
C37: I create such a large amount of music that I usually have an idea to expand on. However, if a project doesn’t capture the moment I intended, I quickly let it go. If that situation goes on for days, I have a habit of putting myself—mentally—back into historical moments of sadness. I’m aware that isn’t great for overall well-being.
Inspiration & Listening
Q: Your influences range widely—from bands like Pink Floyd, The Smiths, and The Stone Roses to electronic impressions from rave culture, and even modern electronica. Which influences feel most present in your current writing—and how do they show up in the details?
C37: I don’t tend to listen to a great deal of electronic music, but I do have a few favourites I return to. Recently, “After the Rain” by Klur has been my most-played track. I still enjoy earlier Motorpsycho albums and find a lot of inspiration in their work. I’ve always gravitated toward the moodier stuff—so when I listen to Pink Floyd, I’m drawn to the darker moments from The Wall, or anything Roger Waters led.
Q: If you could recommend one piece of music—any genre—that everyone should listen to at least once, what would it be (and why that one)?
C37: “Hope in Balance” (Jody Wisternoff and James Grant Remix). It’s an incredible example of electronic music that feels organic and genuinely from the heart.
Creative Philosophy & Vision
Q: You describe the C37 sound as “written from the heart and never forced.” In practice, how do you know when something is honest—and when you’re trying too hard?
C37: I never push creativity. If I feel like I’m having to try, I tend to stop. Once an honest feeling is captured, I finish the project.
Q: If there were no limits—no budget, deadlines, or technical restrictions—what would your dream project be right now?
C37: It’s been a long time since I played on stages. It would be amazing to see C37 paired with misty Lake District images. Dream-wise, I’d have friends from my earlier bands play C37 live. It may just stay a dream, though.
From Silence to Sound – Creative Identity
Q: I often explore how personal decisions shape a musician’s signature sound. Which choices most define your sound—your piano tone, guitar layering, the way you treat ambience, your relationship to rhythm, or the emotional themes you write about?
C37: It’s the emotional themes that drive the sounds. I can spend a long time searching for—or creating—the right sound to match the theme. The guitar usually comes at the very end of my process, where I’ll just jam over the track to see if anything happens.
Q: The singles “Last Day of August,” “Are You Home,” and “Close To Losing Everything” previewed the album. What do these titles reveal about the emotional landscape you’re exploring—and why were these the right tracks to introduce the record?
C37: I suppose they were the liveliest tracks on the album, so they don’t tell the full story. But they do give a good representation of the overall feel and sound.
Closing
Q: Finally: what’s next for you after Into Thin Air—do you feel pulled toward going even deeper into emotional downbeat, bringing in more acoustic elements, exploring vocals/lyrics more, or opening a completely new chapter?
C37: My new album, “The Reality Is…”, continues the search for the definitive C37 sound. There’s less guitar and more soft piano tone on it. It follows a similar pattern, structure, and emotional theme as Into Thin Air.