Biography
Bedford, U.K.-based electronic and dance producer TJ Carter, known as Lil Silva, crafts music whose sonic character shifts from one project to the next while retaining several consistent elements that link his catalog. Early 12-inches such as the 2008 debut “Seasons/Funky Flex” placed him squarely inside the rising U.K. funky movement, yet he resisted stylistic confinement. Singing grew steadily more central, whether he recruited vocalists including Rosie Lowe for the 2013 Distance EP or stepped forward himself on the 2016 release JIMI. Over time his circle of collaborators expanded to encompass Mark Ronson and Diplo, alongside recurring creative allies George FitzGerald—under their OTHERLiiNE alias—and Sampha, whose voice appeared on material stretching from the 2011 Patience EP through the 2022 single “Backwards.” Following an extended sequence of shorter releases, Lil Silva delivered his debut album Yesterday Is Heavy in 2022 and, two years afterward, the EP Still Heavy P1.
Already DJ’ing local all-ages venues by age thirteen, he also belonged to the grime collective Macabre Unit. In 2008 he introduced his productions to a broader audience via the self-issued “Seasons/Funky Flex,” a record that captured his sharp-edged take on bass-driven sounds. Around 2010 Night Slugs became a fitting home, issuing the Night Skanker EP whose six tracks aligned closely with the label’s aesthetic; consequently both “Gold to Gets” and “Seasons” appeared on Nightslug Allstars, Vol. 1. The 2011 Patience EP marked an initial move outward, containing his earliest recorded work with Sampha. After closing his Night Slugs tenure with 2012’s Club Constructions, he explored fresh terrain on the 2013 Distance EP for Good Years, which included vocal turns from Sampha and Rosie Lowe plus occasional backing vocals by Lil Silva himself. That same year he contributed to Africa Express Presents: Maison des Jeunes, part of Damon Albarn’s continuing Africa Express series.
The 2014 EP Mabel advanced further toward song-centered material, placing Lil Silva on lead vocals for the first time and incorporating contributions from alternative R&B artist Banks; he would later co-produce Banks’ debut album Goddess alongside Jamie Woon. In 2015 the Drumatic EP reversed course to revisit dance-floor energy. Concurrently he connected with Mark Ronson, resulting in their joint production of “Lay Me Down” for Adele’s 25. Ronson’s structural methods influenced Lil Silva’s subsequent writing, an effect audible on the 2016 EP JIMI, his most expansive statement to that point, marked by fluid internal pacing and reflective lyrics yet still recognizably his own. The standalone single “Making Sense” surfaced in 2018, the same year he and Sampha co-produced Chip’s “Darth Vader.” Also in 2018 he appeared on George FitzGerald’s album All That Must Be. In 2019 he joined Kano on “Hoodies All Summer” and, with FitzGerald, issued the house-leaning OTHERLiiNE singles “Chimes” and “Hates Me,” whose self-titled album arrived in 2020. That year he additionally remixed Paul Epworth’s “Love Galaxy” and featured with Melanie Faye on Duval Timothy’s “Fall Again.” Production work for Serpentwithfeet’s 2021 album Deacon followed, as did a reunion with Sampha on the 2022 single “Backwards.” Further tracks, among them “To the Floor” with BADBADNOTGOOD, preceded the July arrival of Yesterday Is Heavy, his first proper Lil Silva LP, which featured guests including Charlotte Day Wilson, Ghetts, and Little Dragon and received broad critical praise. The follow-up EP Still Heavy P1 emerged two years later.
Already DJ’ing local all-ages venues by age thirteen, he also belonged to the grime collective Macabre Unit. In 2008 he introduced his productions to a broader audience via the self-issued “Seasons/Funky Flex,” a record that captured his sharp-edged take on bass-driven sounds. Around 2010 Night Slugs became a fitting home, issuing the Night Skanker EP whose six tracks aligned closely with the label’s aesthetic; consequently both “Gold to Gets” and “Seasons” appeared on Nightslug Allstars, Vol. 1. The 2011 Patience EP marked an initial move outward, containing his earliest recorded work with Sampha. After closing his Night Slugs tenure with 2012’s Club Constructions, he explored fresh terrain on the 2013 Distance EP for Good Years, which included vocal turns from Sampha and Rosie Lowe plus occasional backing vocals by Lil Silva himself. That same year he contributed to Africa Express Presents: Maison des Jeunes, part of Damon Albarn’s continuing Africa Express series.
The 2014 EP Mabel advanced further toward song-centered material, placing Lil Silva on lead vocals for the first time and incorporating contributions from alternative R&B artist Banks; he would later co-produce Banks’ debut album Goddess alongside Jamie Woon. In 2015 the Drumatic EP reversed course to revisit dance-floor energy. Concurrently he connected with Mark Ronson, resulting in their joint production of “Lay Me Down” for Adele’s 25. Ronson’s structural methods influenced Lil Silva’s subsequent writing, an effect audible on the 2016 EP JIMI, his most expansive statement to that point, marked by fluid internal pacing and reflective lyrics yet still recognizably his own. The standalone single “Making Sense” surfaced in 2018, the same year he and Sampha co-produced Chip’s “Darth Vader.” Also in 2018 he appeared on George FitzGerald’s album All That Must Be. In 2019 he joined Kano on “Hoodies All Summer” and, with FitzGerald, issued the house-leaning OTHERLiiNE singles “Chimes” and “Hates Me,” whose self-titled album arrived in 2020. That year he additionally remixed Paul Epworth’s “Love Galaxy” and featured with Melanie Faye on Duval Timothy’s “Fall Again.” Production work for Serpentwithfeet’s 2021 album Deacon followed, as did a reunion with Sampha on the 2022 single “Backwards.” Further tracks, among them “To the Floor” with BADBADNOTGOOD, preceded the July arrival of Yesterday Is Heavy, his first proper Lil Silva LP, which featured guests including Charlotte Day Wilson, Ghetts, and Little Dragon and received broad critical praise. The follow-up EP Still Heavy P1 emerged two years later.
Albums
Singles
