UNKLE

UNKLE is English producer James Lavelle's project, founded in London in 1992 and closely tied to his Mo'Wax label. On the 1998 album Psyence Fiction, the credited pairing was Lavelle plus DJ Shadow handling most of the production, and the album drew an extraordinary guest roster - Thom Yorke, Kool G Rap, Beastie Boys' Mike D, Metallica's Jason Newsted, Talk Talk's Mark Hollis, and, on 'Lonely Soul,' Richard Ashcroft, then still fronting The Verve. 'Lonely Soul' was recorded in September 1996 and carries a string arrangement conducted by Wil Malone, the same arranger behind Massive Attack's orchestral work. Psyence Fiction reached number 4 in the UK and went Gold there, and Pitchfork scored it 9.8 out of 10. Richard Ashcroft supported Oasis on their 2025 reunion tour and released his seventh solo album, Lovin' You, in October 2025.

From the notes for Episode 06 · fact-checked Sep 23, 2026.