Bio
MJ Cole helped give UK garage a musical identity that could travel from pirate radio to a full-length album. His breakthrough single Sincere brought expressive vocals, carefully voiced chords and a distinctive two-step rhythm together, leading to the Mercury Prize-nominated debut album of the same name in 2000.
Born Matthew Coleman, Cole studied piano and oboe before moving into electronic production and working as an engineer for the drum and bass label SOUR. That combination of formal musical training and hands-on studio experience remains important to his work. His productions leave room for harmony and songcraft inside rhythms built for clubs.
His career has since included remixes for artists such as Amy Winehouse and Mariah Carey, as well as collaborations with newer producers and singers including K-Lone and PinkPantheress. The 2020 album MJ Cole Presents Madrugada brought his piano-led writing back into the foreground. Rather than leaving either part of his background behind, Cole continues to move between the keyboard, the studio and the dance floor.
United Kingdom