Oliver Coates

CAT #: RVNGNL43-1
April 25, 2018

In broad string strokes, British cellist, composer, and producer Oliver Coates has studied at the Royal Academy of Music, been an artist in residency at London’s Southbank Centre, contributed to the recordings of Radiohead, and collaborated with Laurie Spiegel and John Luther Adams. His in-depth understanding of and relationship with classical cello is met with his study and exploration of experimental electronic sound.

Variously, Coates received the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award and has been commissioned for string and electronic arrangements by visual artist Lawrence Lek, recorded with composer Jonny Greenwood on the scores for Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master and Phantom Thread and collaborated with musician Mica Levi on the 2016 album Remain Calm.

Coates’ foray into electronic leanings on Upstepping, his solo 2016 release, have led to more expansive architecting that manifests here / now with “Charlev.” In “Charlev” nonstandard synth patterns and a pulsing kick pair in equal temperament with a folk melody punctuated by Chrysanthemum Bear’s voice and Coates’ exploratory cello work.