Scott Matthew, an alternative singer/songwriter whose voice carries a melancholy croon reminiscent of David Bowie alongside a theatrical flair echoing Antony and the Johnsons, first drew notice during the early 2000s largely through contributions to several prominent film soundtracks. Originally from Australia, he performed in multiple bands prior to relocating to Brooklyn, NY, toward the end of the 1990s. There he collaborated with Spencer Cobrin, once a member of Morrissey’s band, to issue an EP as Elva Snow in 2002. Afterward he concentrated on soundtrack assignments, including notable work for Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell. His profile rose sharply in 2006 when four compositions appeared on the soundtrack to Shortbus, the award-winning film directed by John Cameron Mitchell. These pieces, augmented by additional new material, formed the core of his self-titled debut album, issued by the Defend Music label in 2008. His second full-length release, the expansively named There Is an Ocean That Divides and With My Longing I Can Charge It with a Voltage That's So Violent to Cross It Could Mean Death, arrived in stores the following year.
