Othello Woolf, AKA Oliver Woolf, is the epitome of suave and a quintessentially English gent of the highest calibre.
Dressed up to the nines in a crisp tailor-made suit and bathed in the seedy glow of a Shoreditch establishment, he talks to Clash of his intentions to fly solo, after spending years tied up in various other projects. “The idea to launch Othello Woolf began around 2008,” he says in polite, hushed tones. “I had been in previous bands before, but none that I was really ever that into. I started to get an itching feeling that I wanted to branch off on my own.”
Many a musician will tell you that some of their best work is borne from negative emotional feeling. And Oliver would undoubtedly agree. “I locked myself away for about eight months to write the album,” he says. “I had just come out of a relationship and was feeling pretty down, so it was definitely a therapeutic process for me. I distracted myself by totally indulging in writing music. So, in terms of the sound of the album, it is definitely a response to a difficult breakup.”
And speaking on his collaboration with Chris Moore, he admits that it was all a bit of an unexpected delight. “After I recorded the initial tracks I realised that I should probably get some of them professionally mixed. I was so immersed in them that I wouldn’t have been able to judge them subjectively to do the mix myself. It’s great having another set of ears. At that point I was thinking about my favourite mixes of the year and it was definitely ‘Return To Cookie Mountain’ by TV On The Radio. So I contacted Chris and we went from there.”
Othello Woolf makes heartbreak songs for the sophisticated soul. His songs are ripe with emotion, but forget messy acoustic wranglings, and think rhythmic nuggets of wily funk instead: polished synths and learned vocals with an overriding new wave sensibility. This guy is as cool as a cucumber and knows the merits of taking it easy. “I think what I’ve learnt from previous experience is that the songs are key and that there’s no rush,” he admits. “I made the album without anyone knowing about it. It’s important to get everything sounding right and then start playing people stuff, when you’re a bit more confident that is.”
Oliver has an undeniable air of Bryan Ferry about him, that’s for sure, and his frank appreciation of maudlin Manc Morrissey imbues him with a more cynical edge. So, beware of the Woolf: with his foppish good looks and effortlessly soulful crooning, he’s bound to break many a girl’s heart yet…
Words by April Welsh
Where: London
What: New Wave soul
Unique Fact: Oliver Woolf studied politics at Nottingham University.
Get 3 songs: ‘Stand’, ‘Every Moment’, ‘Deep Water Deep Sleep’
