Thomas Dolby

Born in London in 1958 as Thomas Morgan Robertson, Thomas Dolby emerged in the early 1980s as a prominent figure in the British new wave, writing pop informed by synth-pop, funk, ambient and often cinematic arrangements. After a stint in Camera Club with Bruce Woolley, he served as keyboardist for Lene Lovich, wrote her the song “New Toy” and worked concurrently as a session musician and producer. His solo career began with The Golden Age of Wireless (1982), followed by The Flat Earth (1984), where his electronic approach blended with soul, jazz and a more sophisticated pop—this period also produced “She Blinded Me with Science” and “Hyperactive!”. Dolby broadened his palette with Aliens Ate My Buick (1988), which leans more toward funk, and Astronauts & Heretics (1992), incorporating American, roots and acoustic influences. He has collaborated with artists such as Prefab Sprout, Joni Mitchell and David Bowie, composed for film and video games, and in the 1990s partly stepped back from the music scene to develop digital audio projects. He returned with A Map of the Floating City (2011), an album that continues his interest in sonic storytelling, shifting atmospheres and hybrid pop forms.