David Kosten
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Faultline is the musical alter ego of producer and artist David Kosten. Working under the name Faultline, Kosten produced the largely instrumental debut ''Closer, Colder'' and the follow up ''Your Love Means Everything'', which featured guest vocals from
Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...
's
Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Univ ...
,
The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (keyb ...
, & R.E.M's
Michael Stipe John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence. Poss ...
. While work is ongoing for his third Faultline project, Kosten has continued to produce albums for other artists, notably gaining recognition with
Bat for Lashes Natasha Khan (born 25 October 1979), known professionally as Bat for Lashes, is an English singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. She has released five studio albums: ''Fur and Gold'' (2006), ''Two Suns'' (2009), '' The Haun ...
(double
Mercury Music Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album released in the United Kingdom by a British or Irish act. It was created by Jon Webster and Robert Chandler in association with the B ...
nominated and
Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical ...
winning ''
Two Suns ''Two Suns'' is the second studio album by English singer Natasha Khan, known professionally as Bat for Lashes. It was released on 3 April 2009 by The Echo Label and Parlophone. The album was produced by Khan herself and David Kosten (who also ...
'' and ''
Fur and Gold Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily #Guard hair, guard hair on top and thick #Down hair, underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as ...
'', and 2012 album '' The Haunted Man''), and
Everything Everything Everything Everything are an English art rock band from Manchester that formed in late 2007. Noted for their eclectic sound and complex, sociopolitical lyrics, the band have released six albums to date – 2010's '' Man Alive'', 2013's '' Arc'' ...
(Mercury Music Prize and Ivor Novello nominated '' Man Alive'' and 2013 album ''
Arc ARC may refer to: Business * Aircraft Radio Corporation, a major avionics manufacturer from the 1920s to the '50s * Airlines Reporting Corporation, an airline-owned company that provides ticket distribution, reporting, and settlement services * ...
''). Kosten co-produced with
Marina Diamandis Marina Lambrini Diamandis (; el, Μαρίνα-Λαμπρινή Διαμάντη; born 10 October 1985), known mononymously as Marina (often stylised in all caps), and previously by the stage name Marina and the Diamonds, is a Welsh singer and ...
her third studio album ''
Froot ''Froot'' (stylised in all caps) is the third studio album by Welsh singer Marina Diamandis and her last under the stage name Marina and the Diamonds. It was originally scheduled to be released on 3 April 2015 by Neon Gold Records and Atlantic ...
''. The album was released internationally on March 16, 2015.


Background


Early years

As a youth, Kosten burst his lung while playing clarinet for the National Youth Orchestra. A London-based art school drop-out, Kosten spent the better part of his twenties in his home studio, teaching himself recording and production techniques and exploring far-flung combinations of sound. Faultline's debut single, "Control", was built around death threats left on Kosten's answering machine. It transpired that the intimidating messages had been left by a singer with whom Kosten had refused a collaboration. Kosten appropriated the messages, applying the threats alongside wayward noise, rhythms and
Steve Reich Stephen Michael Reich ( ; born October 3, 1936) is an American composer known for his contribution to the development of minimal music in the mid to late 1960s. Reich's work is marked by its use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, a ...
-inspired neo-classical music.


''Closer Colder''

On his debut album, ''Closer Colder'', released via the
Leaf A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
label in 1999, Kosten continued this approach to music making, using samples in place of vocals. Most notably, the album's title track lifted
Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in ''Giant'' (1956). In the next ten years ...
's voice from Blue Velvet. Kosten is reported to have obtained permission to use the sample directly from Hopper and
David Lynch David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist and actor. A recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 2019, Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, and the César Award for Be ...
. ''Closer, Colder'' showcased Kosten's arranging abilities, and this elegant blend of soundscape and avant-garde was met with widespread acclaim: *The Times 25/9/99 ''"...an album so supremely modernist that it approaches the classical...Closer, Colder can both stir deep emotion and chill to the bone. The sweetest cello, trumpet and violin resonate against a background of abrasive electronica...emotional and sonic disjunction are rarely as eloquently expressed as this".'' *DJ 10/99 ''"...a quite breathtaking, visionary album that promises to take listeners to places they've never been before....one of the finest experimental albums this year."'' *Q 11/99 ''"...Closer, Colder brims with invention...An accomplished, intriguing, distinctly Lynchian debut."'' *Esquire Magazine top 10 album of the year.


''Your Love Means Everything''

Released three years later
''Your Love Means Everything''
was an instant testament to the fruits of Kosten's ongoing sonic experimentation, as well as his skill at creating an environment in which inspiration strikes his collaborators. The album, originally released on Rough Trade owner Geoff Travis'
Blanco Y Negro Blanco y Negro Records (Spanish: "White and Black"), a subsidiary of WEA Records Ltd., was established in 1983 by Geoff Travis of Rough Trade Records and Mike Alway of él Records. Michel Duval of Les Disques du Crépuscule was also involved ...
imprint in 2002, fell prey to label politics, but re-released by EMI/Capitol in 2004, and awash in spectral electronic melancholy, it received high praise: *''“Faultline's heady combination of electronic avant-garde classical/dance is, thematically, about complicated as it sounds but Kosten's vision translates, aurally, as a series of threadbare, hauntingly programmed compositions, each simplistic and engrossing”.'' – Pitchfork *''"Exquisitely moving"'' - Mojo *''"Devastating and compelling"'' - The Sunday Times *''"A must-hear record...12 songs of heart-shattering sadness"'' – NME On ''Your Love Means Everything'', the Faultline attitude to 'voices' was inverted, with vocal contributions from Coldplay's Chris Martin,
Jacob Golden Jacob Golden is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Portland, Oregon. After the dissolution of his former band, Birthday, in 2000 he has worked as a solo artist and collaborated with different electronica musicians and producers ...
, the Flaming Lips'
Wayne Coyne Wayne Michael Coyne (born January 13, 1961) is an American musician. He is the lead singer, guitarist, keyboardist, theremin player and songwriter for the band the Flaming Lips. Early life Coyne was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United Stat ...
and
Steven Drozd Steven Gregory Drozd (born June 11, 1969) is an American musician and actor. He is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the Flaming Lips, Electric Würms, and other projects. Early life Drozd was born in Houston, Texas, and gre ...
,
Cannibal Ox Cannibal Ox is an American hip hop duo from Harlem, New York, United States. It consists of Vast Aire and Vordul Mega, often accompanied by DJ Cip-One. History In 2001, Cannibal Ox released their first album ''The Cold Vein'' on Definitive Jux, ...
and R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe. Coldplay's Chris Martin hadn't even begun recording ''
A Rush of Blood to the Head ''A Rush of Blood to the Head'' is the second studio album by British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 26 August 2002 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom, and a day later by Capitol Records in the United States. Recording started after th ...
'' when he sang on two Faultline tracks: "Where is My Boy?" and "Your Love Means Everything Part 2". The Flaming Lips were just outgrowing their cult status when they collaborated on "The Colossal Gray Sunshine". With gentle, hypnotic beats that kaleidoscope into multicoloured, atmospheric sounds, the tone of "Your Love Means Everything" can be summed up with this track. With its cinematic, nightmarish feel, the song serves as the lynchpin of the album, which Rolling Stone called ''"a masterpiece of widescreen psychedelic soft rock."'' R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe collaborated on a cover of "Greenfields", a piece of dark Americana from late-50s folk revivalists
The Brothers Four The Brothers Four is an American folk singing group, founded in 1957 in Seattle, Washington, and known for their 1960 hit song "Greenfields." History Bob Flick, John Paine, Mike Kirkland, and Dick Foley met at the University of Washington, wher ...
. (Kosten expressed incredulity about recording this, his favourite childhood song, with the R.E.M. singer). "We Came from Lego Blocks" is a fractured, downbeat lullaby featuring vocals from Vordul Megilah of East Coast underground hip-hop duo Cannibal Ox. Cult singer/songwriter
Joseph Arthur Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is an American singer-songwriter and artist from Akron, Ohio. He is best known for his solo material, and as a member of Fistful of Mercy and RNDM. Arthur has built his reputation over the years through c ...
collaborates on a truly eerie cover of
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
' "Wild Horses", while "Biting Tongues" features Ras B, a ragga-styled MC from
Adrian Sherwood Adrian Maxwell Sherwood (born 20 January 1958, London, England) is an English record producer specialising in the genre of dub music. He has created a distinctive production style based on the application of dub effects and dub mixing technique ...
's On U-Sound crew. Other album tracks like "Your Love Means Everything", "Theme for Half Speed" and "I Only Know Myself" reveal the many degrees of Faultline's ghostly, sublime and orchestral sound.


Third album

Kosten is working on his third Faultline album.


Discography


Albums

*''Closer Colder'' (27 September 1999) *# "Awake" – 4:52 *# "Tiny Consumer" – 5:27 *# "Mute" – 8:51 *# "Papercut" – 4:03 *# "Control" – 3:21 *# "Closer Colder" – 5:40 *# "Salt" – 4:44 *# "Partyline Honey" – 5:11 *# (Untitled) – 6:41 *''Your Love Means Everything'' (10 September 2002) *# "Your Love Means Everything" – 3:41 *# "Where is My Boy?" (featuring
Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Univ ...
) – 5:34 *# "Sweet Iris" – 3:49 *# "Bitter Kiss" (featuring
Jacob Golden Jacob Golden is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Portland, Oregon. After the dissolution of his former band, Birthday, in 2000 he has worked as a solo artist and collaborated with different electronica musicians and producers ...
) – 3:23 *# "Waiting for the Green Light" (featuring
Cannibal Ox Cannibal Ox is an American hip hop duo from Harlem, New York, United States. It consists of Vast Aire and Vordul Mega, often accompanied by DJ Cip-One. History In 2001, Cannibal Ox released their first album ''The Cold Vein'' on Definitive Jux, ...
) – 4:09 *# "The Colossal Gray Sunshine" (featuring
The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (keyb ...
) – 2:44 *# "Clocks" – 4:18 *# "Theme for Half Speed" – 3:13 *# "Greenfields" (featuring
Michael Stipe John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence. Poss ...
) – 3:19 *# "Lost Broadcast" (featuring
Nick McCabe Nicholas John McCabe (born 14 July 1971) is an English musician best known as the lead guitarist of the Verve. Early life McCabe is the son of a bus driver father and a social worker mother and has two older brothers, Alan and Paul. When asked ...
) – 3:38 *# "I Only Know Myself" – 3:52 *# "Your Love Means Everything Part 2" (featuring
Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Univ ...
) – 4:03 *''Your Love Means Everything'' (re-issue on Capitol/EMI) (17 May 2004) *# "Your Love Means Everything" – 3:41 *# "Where is My Boy?" (featuring
Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Univ ...
) – 5:34 *# "We Came from Lego Blocks" (featuring Vordul Megilah) – 2:45 *# "Theme for Half Speed" – 3:13 *# "
Wild Horses Wild horse (''Equus ferus'') is a species of the genus ''Equus'' that includes domesticated and undomesticated subspecies. * Przewalski's wild horse (''Equus ferus przewalskii'' or ''Equus przewalskii''), a rare and endangered subspecies of wild ...
" (featuring
Joseph Arthur Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is an American singer-songwriter and artist from Akron, Ohio. He is best known for his solo material, and as a member of Fistful of Mercy and RNDM. Arthur has built his reputation over the years through c ...
) – 5:13 *# "Sweet Iris" – 3:49 *# "Biting Tongues" (featuring Ras B) – 3:28 *# "Clocks" – 4:18 *# "The Colossal Gray Sunshine" (featuring
The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (keyb ...
) – 2:44 *# "I Only Know Myself" – 3:52 *# "Greenfields" (featuring
Michael Stipe John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence. Poss ...
) – 3:19 *# "Lost Broadcast" (featuring
Nick McCabe Nicholas John McCabe (born 14 July 1971) is an English musician best known as the lead guitarist of the Verve. Early life McCabe is the son of a bus driver father and a social worker mother and has two older brothers, Alan and Paul. When asked ...
) – 3:38 *# "Your Love Means Everything Part 2" (featuring
Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Univ ...
) – 4:03 *# "Missing" (Japanese bonus track) – 3:25 *# "Surfacenothing" (Japanese bonus track) – 5:00


Singles and EPs

*''Papercut EP'' (1998) *# "Papercut" – 4:03 *# "Partyline Honey" (Remix) – 4:45 *# "Quarantine" – 3:26 *# "Not Forgotten" – 7:06 *"Mute" single (1999) *# "Mute" – 8:52 *# "Mute" (
Third Eye Foundation Matt Elliott is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter, originally from Bristol, England and now based in France, who plays dark folk music. He also produced and recorded electronic music under the name The Third Eye Foundation. Biography ...
Remix) – 6:33 *# "Dislocate" – 2:37 *''Faultline EP'' (2002) *# "The Colossal Gray Sunshine" (featuring
The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (keyb ...
) – 2:44 *# "Missing" – 3:25 *# "Surfacenothing" – 5:00 *"Biting Tongues" promo single (May 2004) *# "Biting Tongues" (featuring Ras B) – 3:32 *# "Biting Tongues" (The Bug Mix) – 4:09 *# "Biting Tongues" (
Riton Riton may refer to: * Riton (musician) (born 1978), recording name of electronic musician Henry Smithson * Riton (duet), a Bulgarian pop duet, * Riton Liebman (born 1964), Belgian comedian, actor and director * Lutfor Rahman Riton, Bangladeshi wr ...
Mix) – 6:17 *# "Biting Tongues" (
Hot Chip Hot Chip are an English synthpop band formed in London in 1995. The group consists of multi-instrumentalists Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard, Al Doyle, Owen Clarke, and Felix Martin. They are occasionally joined by former member Rob Smoughton for ...
Mix) – 7:07 *"Wild Horses"/"Biting Tongues" double A-side single (10 May 2004) *# "Wild Horses" (featuring
Joseph Arthur Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is an American singer-songwriter and artist from Akron, Ohio. He is best known for his solo material, and as a member of Fistful of Mercy and RNDM. Arthur has built his reputation over the years through c ...
) – 5:13 *# "Biting Tongues" (featuring Ras B) – 3:32 *# "Biting Tongues" (
Riton Riton may refer to: * Riton (musician) (born 1978), recording name of electronic musician Henry Smithson * Riton (duet), a Bulgarian pop duet, * Riton Liebman (born 1964), Belgian comedian, actor and director * Lutfor Rahman Riton, Bangladeshi wr ...
Mix) – 6:17 *# "Wild Horses" (enhanced video) *# "Biting Tongues" (enhanced video) *"The Colossal Gray Sunshine" promo single (August 2004) *# "The Colossal Gray Sunshine" (featuring
The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (keyb ...
) (remix) – 2:47 *"Send In The Clowns" single (2017) *# " Send In The Clowns" featuring
Lisa Hannigan Lisa Margaret Hannigan (born 12 February 1981) is an Irish musician, singer, composer, and voice actress. She began her musical career as a member of Damien Rice's band. Since beginning her solo career in 2007 she has released three albums: ''Se ...
on vocal for an
Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. Th ...
car TV commercial - 4.51


References


External links


Official Faultline Website

Official David Kosten Website
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Faultline Year of birth missing (living people) Living people English electronic musicians Intelligent dance musicians