Biography

Philip Selway followed in the footsteps of Radiohead bandmates Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood by launching a solo career with the release of Familial in 2010. Previously known for his drumming, drum programming, and occasional background vocals, Selway slipped easily into songwriting mode while also switching to guitar. After releasing Weatherhouse in 2014, he started to expand his reach by composing music for movies, including the score for the 2017 feature Let Me Go. He incorporated these cinematic influences on his 2023 album Strange Dance. The groundwork for Selway's solo album came with his participation in Neil Finn's 2001 all-star concerts, dubbed 7 Worlds Collide. 7 Worlds Collide later took the shape of a group and released an album, The Sun Came Out, in 2009. In addition to playing percussion and acoustic guitar, Selway provided a pair of hushed, folk-tinged songs -- "The Ties That Bind Us" and "The Witching Hour" -- and sang lead on them. Re-recordings of these two songs formed the basis of Familial. The album involved assistance from 7 Worlds Collide associates Lisa Germano, Soul Coughing's Sebastian Steinberg, and Wilco's Glenn Kotche and Jeff Tweedy. It was released in August 2010 through Bella Union in the U.K. and Nonesuch in the U.S. Selway's sophomore effort, Weatherhouse, followed in 2014. More complex and involving than his mostly acoustic debut, with a broader instrumental palette, it had something of the feel of latter-day Radiohead or Yorke's solo work but with an uncategorizable '80s/'90s melodic twist. Following the 2016 release of Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool, Selway turned his attention to scoring the Polly Steele film Let Me Go. The soundtrack arrived in October 2017. After an extended absence, Selway revived his solo career with Strange Dance, an album released in February 2023. Recorded with drummer Valentina Magaletti, producer Marta Salogni, and Portishead's Adrian Utley, the album incorporated subtle experimental textures into its subdued pop. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi