FEATURE:
The Digital Mixtape
PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Waespi
Paul Epworth at Fifty: A Selection of Songs from the Legendary Producer and Songwriter
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ON 25th July…
IN THIS PHOTO: Among many other artists, Paul Epworth has produced for Bloc Party (pictured in 2004)
an incredible producer and songwriter turns fifty. You may not have heard of him, though I guarantee you have heard quite a few songs that he is credited on as a producer and/or songwriter. That person is Paul Epworth. I am going to end with a playlist featuring songs he has a credit on. Ahead of an important birthday, it is worth reflecting on how much great music this amazing talent has had a hand in. It is interesting, when we think about producers, how diverse their credits are. More than the artists they are associated with. Truly great producers are able to work with a variety of artists and add their own stamp on the music. That is the case here. Prior to getting to a mixtape of songs he has produced or had a writing credit on, AllMusic provide a detailed biography about the incredible and multi-talented Epworth:
“Multi-award-winning British producer Paul Epworth made his name helming albums for megastars like Adele and Rihanna before launching his own solo career in 2020 with his debut Voyager.
Born and raised in the leafy London commuter town of Bishop's Stortford, Epworth got his start in music in the early 2000s as frontman for the little-heard indie band Lomax. The group released one album, 2003's A Symbol of Modern Living, before disbanding. Epworth then began a solo remixing and production career. He released a couple of electronica singles under the names Phones and Epic Man, but it was his production work on a trio of zeitgeist-grabbing debut albums by Futureheads, Maxïmo Park, and Bloc Party that secured him immediate notice. As both producer and songwriter, Epworth went on to shape the sound of a diverse roster of stars including, most notably, Adele, Rihanna, and Florence + the Machine; later he would go on to work with Coldplay, U2, and Mumford & Sons, among many others. Epworth also made acclaimed remixes, often under the name Phones. In the course of his career, he won no fewer than five Grammy Awards, and a coveted Academy Award for the song "Skyfall," from the James Bond film.
In September 2020, Epworth released his debut solo album, Voyager. A high-concept effort combining Epworth's twin loves of classic sci-fi and '70s R&B, the album fused elements of funk, disco, spiritual jazz, and hip-hop, and featured a plethora of guest vocalists including Ishmael, Vince Staples, Ty Dolla $ign, Kool Keith, and Jay Electronica”.
Such a distinct and legendary producer, Paul Epworth has helped elevate songs to new levels with an incredible Midas touch. I was keen to assemble a mixtape of his worth ahead of his fiftieth birthday on 25th July. This playlist just goes to show what a prolific and consistent talent…
THIS man is.