M. J. Cole

M. J. Cole
Birth name Matthew James Firth Coleman
Born (1973-08-09) 9 August 1973
Origin London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • record producer
  • DJ
Years active 1997–present
Labels
Website Prolific Recordings

M. J. Cole (born Matthew James Firth Coleman, 9 August 1973) is an English house and UK garage producer, writer and remixer.

Career

Born in London, England, in his youth, Cole was classically trained on the oboe and piano, and won scholarships to both the Royal College of Music Junior Department and City Of London School.[1]

Having graduated from City University, Cole began working at the drum & bass label SOUR, as a tape operator and sound engineer to the likes of Freq Nasty and Ed Rush. It was working on Ramsey & Fen's 2-step remixes for Kim Mazelle, however, that gave him the garage bug.

From there, Cole penned and produced "Sincere" in 1998 using a sampler and Atari, which was eventually picked up by Pete Tong and AM:PM and became one of the earliest garage records to break into the UK Top 40.[2]

He signed with Gilles Peterson's Talkin' Loud label where in 2000 he produced his first album, also called Sincere, which earned him two Top 15 singles, a prestigious Mercury Music Prize nomination, Brit Award nomination and beat Dr. Dre to win MOBO's Best Producer award in 2001.[3][4] He received a Silver Disc for UK sales in excess of 60,000 copies.[5] Cole formed a live band to accompany his Sincere album performing on Jools Holland's Later Show as well as on Top of the Pops, CD:UK, The Chart Show and at the Mercury Music Prize and MOBO Awards. In 2003, Cole followed Sincere with his Cut to the Chase album, also released via Talkin’ Loud.[6]

After leaving Talkin’ Loud in 2004, Cole released several singles and EPs via his own Prolific Recordings label. Cole's output on the label has included many notable collaborations including grime artist Wiley and long-time collaborator Elisabeth Troy.

More recently, he has collaborated with T Williams on Privilege, released in 2015 on Today/Tomorrow Records and released Bouldaz on Disclosure's Method White label the same year.[7][8]

Cole has continued to produce for artists across the musical spectrum. Dizzee Rascal's Bassline Junkie, Example's Something in the Water and Katy B's Blue Eyes were all produced by Cole.[9]

In 2014, he co-wrote and produced "Nobody But You" for Mary J. Blige with Sam Smith & Jimmy Napes, and again in early 2015 on Napes’ own Making Of Me EP.[9]

He has also remixed tracks for Amy Winehouse, Mariah Carey, De La Soul, Alicia Keys and many more.[10] Recently he released remixes of Jess Glynne’s "Hold My Hand" on Atlantic and DJ Fresh & Adam F's "Believer" on Ministry of Sound.

Cole has written and produced scores for several major TV advertising campaigns including the Schwartz "The Sound of Taste" campaign and wrote a piece called "Lava" for O2.[11] Cole was also responsible for the construction and design of a new recording studio complex in Clerkenwell called The Gin Factory.

Alongside his producing, writing and remixing work, MJ Cole continues to tour as a DJ at the world's biggest festivals and clubs.[12]

In 2016, Cole has been writing and producing with several new artists from across the musical spectrum.

His latest single "Alcatraz" is set to be released on Redlight's Lobster Boy Records in early 2016.

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

  1. ↑ "MJ Cole". Red Bull Music Academy Radio. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  2. ↑ "Interview with MJ Cole by DJEQ Magazine in 1999 | Interviews". www.garagemusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  3. ↑ Lomax, Sophie. "Soulful Craig David looks set to sweep Brit awards". the Guardian. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  4. ↑ "2000: Craig David, DJ Luck and MC Neat, Eminem and Left Eye | MOBO Awards". mobo.com. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  5. ↑ "MJ Cole - fabric nightclub, london". fabric london. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  6. ↑ "Cut to the Chase - MJ Cole | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  7. ↑ "T. Williams and MJ Cole see in spring with piano house on ‘Privilege’". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  8. ↑ "MJ Cole - Bouldaz". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  9. 1 2 "MJ Cole". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  10. ↑ "MJ Cole". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  11. ↑ "MJ Cole: Schwartz "The Sound of Taste"". mj-cole.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  12. ↑ "RA: MJ Cole tour dates". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
  13. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 114. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links

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