Artist

MJ Cole

1997-present·London

Matthew Coleman won his first piano competition at five years old and stayed on the classical track for a decade, taking scholarships to the Royal College of Music for oboe. "I was really good at the piano and I won my first competition when I was five," he told 5 Magazine, describing years of scholarships and classical training that ran until he was fifteen or sixteen and discovered going out was more fun.

The full story is in Underground UK Garage.

At a glance

Active
1997–present
From
London, UK
Records in the issues
2 (2000–2003), 2 of them a Start here pick
Original label
Talkin’ Loud
Listening guide track
“Crazy Love”

Listen

In the Underground UK Garage listening guide: “Crazy Love”

Spotify

In the issues

  • Underground UK Garage
    Principal · 1991-2002 · Members

    Underground UK Garage is a music scene from London, UK, 1991–2002. Its principal artists include MJ Cole, DJ EZ, Artful Dodger and Todd Edwards. This issue covers 6 essential albums and 12 dated events.

Records

Terms

Acid house
A style of house music characterized by squelching, resonant basslines produced using the Roland TB-303 synthesizer.
Sampler
An electronic instrument or device that records and plays back audio snippets, allowing producers to manipulate, loop, and layer sounds from other recordings.
Sound system
A mobile setup of turntables, amplifiers, and large speaker stacks used to play recorded music at outdoor parties and dances, especially in Jamaican and Caribbean culture.