Philip Jeck, acclaimed British experimental composer, dies aged 69

Philip Jeck, the experimental British composer who deployed sampling and DJing to highly imaginative ends, has died aged 69 after a short illness.

The founders of Touch, the record label that released his music, announced the news, writing that Jeck was “a remarkable man and a wonderful artist,” and that “he has been one of the kingpins of our work for 30 years. But with Philip it was never just the work, more the love, the spirit and the dedication. He touched so many with his wit, his zest for life and his wisdom.”

Jeck was acclaimed across the global underground music scene for a career that encompassed 12 albums and a number of other works, using dilapidated vinyl records and players salvaged from junk shops, in tandem with instrumentation and electronic effects, to create haunting ambient music of great poignancy.

After studies at Dartington College of Arts and an inspirational trip to New York where he became enthralled by the record mixing of dance music DJs such as Walter Gibbons and Larry Levan, Jeck began a long collaboration with dancer and choreographer Laurie Booth, providing music for his performances.

Breakthrough success came with the 1993 art installation Vinyl Requiem which used 180 turntables alongside film projections, in a collaboration with Lol Sargent – it won a Time Out award that year.

Jeck began his recording career with the album Loopholes in 1995 and, alongside his solo work, collaborated with musicians including Gavin Bryars, Jaki Liebezeit and Jah Wobble. His work was hailed by theorist Mark Fisher as being part of the “hauntology” movement of artists who drew on recorded musical history as part of their practise.

Jeck also performed live in semi-improvised performances that drew on his vast collection of discarded vinyl, which then formed the basis of his album recordings. “I’ve got so many records that, in a way, I’m drawing on pretty well the whole history of music, which is very overwhelming,” he once said.