Born: September 18, 1978, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, Engla
Active: 2000s
Genres: Electronica
Instrument: Producer
Representative Albums: "Jim", "Multiply/Jim
Representative Songs: "Said Dram Scam", "Silent Why
Biography
British producer Jamie Lidell became as widely recognized for his effective neo-soul vocals and performance as for his earlier career as a producer of groovy experimental techno. After some EP releases for labels such as Mosquito and an appearance on the Mille Plateaux-released Industrialsamplecoregouchbeat compilation, Lidell collaborated with equally well-known techno producer Cristian Vogel as Super_Collider in 1999. Following this project, most noteworthy for the popular track "Darn (Cold Way o' Lovin')," Lidell recorded a solo album for Warp in 2000, Muddlin Gear. Five years later he pursued a neo-soul direction for Multiply, also for Warp. Jim followed in 2008. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Lidell is known for layering tracks made with his voice into a microphone and performing the percussion and melody as a sequenced, beatboxingone-man band. Then over his augmented voices, he sings soul-inspired songs. This exercise makes for energetic live performances. Lidell has become renowned for his diverse range of genre-exploration. Following the release of his latest album, JIM, Lidell commented[2],
I want it to be about music, I think every musician does. But I think inevitably it ends up becoming about personality, which is what gives rise to the music, so people want to make sure that they get a bit of both. The more things do well, the more people want to know why it does well.
His song "Multiply" was used on the television show Grey's Anatomy, and was also included on its second soundtrack. Another song from his album Multiply, "A Little Bit More", was featured in a series of commercials for the U.S. retailer Target.
He often collaborates with Canadian musicians such as Gonzales, Feist and Mocky. He has also recently collaborated with British electronic duo Simian Mobile Disco for the song "Off The Map".
In 2009 he contributed a cover of a Grizzly Bear song to the Warp20 (Recreated) compilation, as well as having his song "A Little Bit More" covered by Tim Exile.