Electronic Music Australia ep.62 aired 13 June 2023
Hailing from Naarm (Melbourne), Charles Oliver has carved out a distinct niche with eclectic style and production. His debut album ' A Glimpse from The Other Side' was released in April 2023, and recieved chart success on both Beatport and iTunes.
We were thrilled to have Charles Oliver on the show for an exclusive guest mix and got to know him a bit better as well.
Charles Oliver is not new to electronic music, having produced and DJed since his late teens, mainly in the Drum and Bass and Dubstep scenes and under various names. He calls this time of his life as a 'discovery phase' with the Charles Oliver moniker existing for around eight years, representing his self described 'inner identity', an alter ego and outlet for expression and creativity and more four on the floor sounds. Techno grabbed the artist (or did he grab techno?) and the result is mesmeric.
His album 'A Glimpse From The Other Side' is a journey that folds together, with each track telling it's own story. "The album meant a lot in terms of sort of navigating your mental health and certain challenges around that and going through big changes in your life", describes Charles Oliver. There is no doubt that the Charles Oliver sound belongs in the nightclub, but equally can be enjoyed at the afters, something that makes it stand out as a little different from banging techno records that might not be the first choice at four A.M. during the enchanted realm of night's end. It is perhaps this complexity that has garnered attention from Jon Hopkins, Max Cooper, John Digweed, Laurent Garnier as well as a rapidly growing fan base in the Techno capital of the world, Germany.
It may be an ode to his background in Drum and Bass and Dub Step that makes his music difficult to clearly pidgeon hole into one genre. "I think I personally struggle with that, like making simple music", he explains, "it's Techno but a little different".
Knowing the brief was an emphasis on Australian music, Charles Oliver dove right in, completely embracing the theme and creating an all Aussie guest mix. He's handpicked an incredible selection of tracks from the likes of Tom Baker, Mount Mike, Pat Carroll and Adult Art Club along with plenty of his own tracks in a mind-blowing showcase of homegrown talent.
Charles Oliver will be performing his debut live set in Melbourne next month. This bold move away from the DJ decks will see the artist take to the stage at Angel Music Bar on July 8. Armed with a couple of synthesisers, a drum machine and an ipad, punters are in for a treat as he explores the unpredictable nature of live performance and undoubtably takes his own craft and identity as an artist to new heights. Snag yourself some tickets via this link.
Check out the after movie from Charles Oliver's recent album launch party
Charles Oliver's unique sound, willingness to push boundaries and adventurously genre-agnostic style are just some of the reasons why you should keep an eye on the Melbourne artist. Combined with experimental live performances, Charles Oliver will be a force to be reckoned with.
Stay in touch with Charles Oliver via this link. If you are in Melbourne, Make sure you check out Charles Oliver LIVE @ Angel Music Bar on July 8, 2023.
Tune into Electronic Music Australia everyTuesday night at 11pm AEST on 105.7 Radio Metro.
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Charles Oliver Guest Mix Playlist
Tom Baker - Natural Intelligence
Charles Oliver - Formulate
Mount Mike - Slippery (DJ Tool) [UNRELEASED]
Charles Oliver - Hesitate (Ok Sure Remix) [UNRELEASED]
Mount Mike - That Time I Wanted To Be A Hermit But Couldn't [UNRELEASED]
Honeysmack - Finger to Finger (Eddie Example Remix)
Gay Roberto - What I Want [UNRELEASED]
Charles Oliver - Enter Transition
Pat Carroll - A Cycle of Fate and Memory
Adult Art Club - Be Your God
Charles Oliver - Charisma
Coach Frank - How Does It Feel