Biography
Corker/Conboy serves as the working name adopted by Adrian Corker, born in England, and Paul Conboy, also born in England. The pair, both based in London, England, issue recordings under the additional guises Ape and Soul Circuit while maintaining credits as composers for Antonia Bird’s films Care and Face. Their first release under the Corker/Conboy name arrived in 2002 via the Vertical Form label’s Pro-Bono Publico compilation, which also featured Kim Hiorthøy, Pan American, and ISO-68.
Latin, African, and Brazilian traditions, together with Chicago post-rock exemplified by Tortoise, the Sea And Cake, and Aerial M, as well as mariachi forms, supply the most explicit sources for their work; Norwegian experimental jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarek and Swiss improvisatory drummer Pierre Favre are singled out as key reference points. These elements converge in music that remains understated, detailed, and often melancholic, yet is guided above all by an impulse toward beauty. Acoustic guitar, restrained percussion figures, and understated programming or overdubs are combined to produce refined and pleasing results. Although 2003’s In Light Of That Learnt Later lists only the two principals as songwriters, the sessions also involved percussionist Steve Carey, trumpeter Ian Dixon, and engineers Jono Podmore and Luke Gifford.
After issuing their debut, Corker and Conboy contributed to Tim Simenon’s next Bomb The Bass project before turning to fresh material of their own. The resulting album, Radiant Idiot, was recorded with additional players that included guitarist Will Husband, string arranger John Matthias, and trumpeter Ian Dixon, and appeared in early 2004.
Latin, African, and Brazilian traditions, together with Chicago post-rock exemplified by Tortoise, the Sea And Cake, and Aerial M, as well as mariachi forms, supply the most explicit sources for their work; Norwegian experimental jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarek and Swiss improvisatory drummer Pierre Favre are singled out as key reference points. These elements converge in music that remains understated, detailed, and often melancholic, yet is guided above all by an impulse toward beauty. Acoustic guitar, restrained percussion figures, and understated programming or overdubs are combined to produce refined and pleasing results. Although 2003’s In Light Of That Learnt Later lists only the two principals as songwriters, the sessions also involved percussionist Steve Carey, trumpeter Ian Dixon, and engineers Jono Podmore and Luke Gifford.
After issuing their debut, Corker and Conboy contributed to Tim Simenon’s next Bomb The Bass project before turning to fresh material of their own. The resulting album, Radiant Idiot, was recorded with additional players that included guitarist Will Husband, string arranger John Matthias, and trumpeter Ian Dixon, and appeared in early 2004.