Photograph courtesy of Nathan Gallagher
Having been involved in countless collaborations and projects in recent years, among them working with Chris Watson at Aldeburgh Music’s PLACE weekend, taking up his place as the Southbank’s artist in residence and performing Steve Reich’s Music For 18 Musicians with the man himself, cellist Oliver Coates is now releasing his debut album.
It’s called Towards the blessed islands and will be released on November 25 via PRAH Recordings, a new label set up by Stephen Bass, one of Moshi Moshi Records’ founders. Bass says the label is a chance "to allow a completely free and open release schedule that can encompass anything from contemporary classical and experimental to soundtrack recordings, spoken word and re-issues", and Coates’ first solo LP seems to fit the bill perfectly there. It features a mixture of covers – Squarepusher and Roy Harper/This Mortal Coil – along with Coates’ interpretations of work by 20th-century and current composers. We’ve got a first play of his version of ‘Raimondas Rumsas’ by contemporary classical musician Laurence Crane, a sprawling piece of droned notes hooked around gradually-evolving dynamics and intonations – have a listen below:
Coates, along with PRAH Recordings label mate and Aisha Orazbayeva and Moshi Moshi’s Anna Meredith, will be performing at a label night at The House Of St Barnabus in London on November 5, with DJing from Larry Goves; head to PRAH’s website for more.
