CFCF (musician)

CFCF
Birth name	Michael Silver
Born	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres	Electronic
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, arranger
Labels	Paper Bag Records Acéphale Records RVNG Intl. International Feel BGM Solutions
Website	https://www.cfcfmusic.com/

CFCF is the stage name of Canadian electronic musician, Michael "Mike" Silver. ^[1] Based in Montreal, Silver took the name CFCF from the call sign of the city's CFCF-TV. ^[2] Silver's work oftentimes involves themes of nostalgia. ^[3]

Silver has released ten albums, a score, and several EPs. In 2015, he released two albums within two weeks: Radiance and Submission on July 31, and The Colours of Life on August 14. His most recent release is a newly mastered version of Blowing Up the Workshop 48 (2022).

Background

Originally from Montreal, Silver became interested in electronic music at an early age. Self-taught, he cites Peter Gabriel, DJ Shadow, Yellow Magic Orchestra, and Talk Talk as important influences. ^[4]

Career

His first 7" single "You Hear Colours" / "Invitation to Love" was released on March 8, 2009, on the Acéphale label. ^[5]

Describing his creative approach on 2012's Exercises and 2013's Music for Objects, Silver says, "A lot of people think the things that will give your life meaning are those grand, giant emotions, like you're terrified, or you're in love, but what the EPs are trying to do is fill in the gaps between." ^[3]

In 2013, Silver released his second studio album, titled Outside. Inspirations for the album include The Letting Go by Bonnie "Prince" Billy (Outside also features a cover of that album's second track, "Strange Form of Life"), Notebook on Cities and Clothes by Wim Wenders, and Peter Gabriel. ^[3]

In 2016, Silver was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical for his remix of "Berlin By Overnight" by Daniel Hope. ^[6]

Silver composed the score for the 2022 film You Can Live Forever . ^{[7] [8]}

Style

In a 2013 interview with Aimee Cliff for DMY, Silver calls his melodies "evocative rather than provocative." Cliff goes on to write that Silver's music "is never close enough to divulge anything personal, but they aren't devoid of humanity either. Maybe this is because they aren't studies as much as they are reflections." ^[3]

Discography

Studio albums 2009 – Continent , Paper Bag Records 2013 – Outside , Paper Bag Records 2015 – Radiance and Submission , Driftless Recordings 2015 – The Colours of Life , 1080p Collection 2016 – On Vacation , International Feel 2019 – Liquid Colours, BGM Solutions 2021 – Memoryland, BGM Solutions Mixtapes 2010 – Slow R&B for Zellers Locations Canada-Wide 2010 – Do U Like Night Bus 2010 – Altered Zones 4 2011 – Reincarnation 2011 – Slorida 2011 – Night Bus II 2012 – The Flood for SSENSE 2014 – Night Bus 3: Death of Night Bus 2015 – Blowing Up The Workshop 48 2019 – Night Bus 4: Memory of Night Bus 2020 – MMLD 99.9 FM: Dispatches From Memoryland

EPs 2009 – Panesian Nights, Paper Bag Records 2010 – Drifts, Paper Bag Records 2010 – CFCF c28, They Live We Sleep 2010 – The River , RVNG Intl. 2012 – Exercises , Paper Bag Records / Dummy 2013 – Music for Objects , Paper Bag Records / Dummy 2017 – Cascades (with Jean-Michel Blais), Arts & Crafts 2018 – Self Service, Sounds of Beaubien Ouest Singles 2009 – "The Explorers", Paper Bag Records 2009 – "You Hear Colours" / "Invitation to Love", Acephale Records 2011 – "Cometrue", UNO NYC 2018 – "December 25, 1999", BGM Solutions 2021 – "Light Disguise", Collection Disques Durs 2022 – "Sunrise Blue", BGM Solutions 2023 – "Never Going Home", BGM Solutions

Remixes

• 2008 – Heartsrevolution – "CYOA (CFCF Remix)"
• 2008 – The Presets – "Talk Like That (CFCF Remix)"
• 2008 – HEALTH – "Triceratops (CFCF Remix)"
• 2008 – Sally Shapiro – "Time to Let Go (CFCF Remix)"
• 2008 – Crystal Castles – "Air War (CFCF Remix)"
• 2008 – Genghis Tron – "Recursion (CFCF Remix)"
• 2008 – Memory Cassette – "Last One Awake (CFCF Version)"
• 2009 – Sally Shapiro – "Love in July (CFCF Remix)"
• 2009 – Datarock – "The Pretender (CFCF Remix)"
• 2009 – Fan Death – "The Constellations (CFCF Remix)"
• 2009 – Midstates and The Choir of Ghosts – "Hate to See You Smile (CFCF Remix)"
• 2009 – Woodhands – "Dancer (CFCF Remix)"
• 2010 – Owen Pallett – "Lewis Takes off His Shirt (CFCF Remix)"
• 2010 – Azari & III – "Into the Night (CFCF Remix)"
• 2010 – Historics – "Take It to the Top (CFCF Remix)"
• 2010 – HEALTH – "Before Tigers (CFCF Remix)"
• 2012 – Say Lou Lou – "Maybe You (CFCF Remix)"
• 2012 – Elite Gymnastics – "Here, in Heaven 4 & 5 (CFCF Remix)"
• 2017 – Kero Kero Bonito – "Heard a Song (CFCF Remix)"
• 2017 – HEALTH – "Dark Enough (CFCF Remix)"
• 2018 – Baltra – "Will You Be? (CFCF Remix)"
• 2022 – The Hellp – "yrstruly (CFCF Remix)"
• 2023 – The Life – "Grace (CFCF Remix)"
• 2024 – Basile3 – "U Stole the Summer (CFCF Remix)"

References

1. "CFCF's quest for pure pop". Entrepreneur , July 2009.
2. "Q&A with CFCF | Anthem". 2010-12-12. Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
3. Cliff, Aimee (22 October 2013). "CFCF interview: "Evocative rather than provocative."". DMY magazine. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
4. "The Emotional Life of Objects: An Interview with CFCF's Michael Silver". PopMatters. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
5. "CFCF – You Hear Colours / Invitation To Love (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2009-03-08. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
6. Billboard Staff (12 July 2015). "Grammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees". Billboard . Retrieved 19 November 2024.
7. Feldberg, Isaac (5 May 2023). "You Can Live Forever". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
8. Fran Hoepfner, "‘You Can Live Forever’ Film Review: Queer Love Blooms Amid Religious Repression". TheWrap , June 11, 2022.

External links

• CFCF on SoundCloud
• CFCF on Bandcamp
• CFCF on Discogs
• CFCF at CBC Radio 3