As the music industry continuously evolves, pushing boundaries and challenging conventions, artists like MICHAEL PETER OLSEN emerge to redefine the very essence of their chosen instruments. With an impressive career spanning nearly three decades, Olsen has had mainstream exposure through collaborations with renowned artists like Drake, Ed Sheeran, Arcade Fire, and Sharon Van Etten and developed multifaceted talents as a player, producer, composer, and Grammy-Nominated songwriter. However, it is his electric cello-based solo project, which debuted in a grimy basement club in Berlin in 2019, and his 2021 full-length Yearning Flow that truly showcased his desire to subvert expectations of what a cello can be. On his upcoming LP Narrative of a Nervous System, set to be released October 27th, 2023 via Hand Drawn Dracula records, Olsen continues his exploration of post-modernist styles, digging deeper through the possibilities of what the cello can do in the 21st century.

Growing up in a British Columbia suburb, Olsen was immersed in classical music due to his parents’ careers as musicians. Despite dedicating over 15 years to studying and performing classical pieces, he confesses, “I never really felt very connected to that music, not that it didn’t have its moments. It was a way to get out of the suburbs for me.” Though it “continually made me feel like I wasn’t good enough, it also served as a social gateway to kids I could relate to, so I kept at it.” His suburban escape was complete when he started music at the University of Toronto and fell into the soon-to-be world-renowned Canadian indie rock scene of the mid-1990s and early 2000s, playing in bands like Hidden Cameras, Jim Guthrie, Constantines, and Arcade Fire.

“As soon as I started playing in bands, I wanted to use the instrument differently,” Olsen reflects, emphasizing his desire to break away from conventional cello playing. “However, at the time, there were limited examples to draw inspiration from.” Undeterred, he embarked on a journey of sonic exploration, seeking to deconstruct and redefine the cello’s role in contemporary music.

With the release of his second full-length Narrative of a Nervous System, Olsen taps into the prevailing sense of disconnection in modern society, accentuated by the recent pandemic. The record delves into the increasing divisions between the mind and body, metaphorically capturing the struggles many individuals face with their mental health. Olsen aims to bridge this disconnect through his music and accompanying art and videos, creating a powerful fusion of sonic and visual elements.

While the album is instrumental and conceptually driven, Olsen remains committed to making the music accessible and relatable. Compared to his previous work, Narrative of a Nervous System features shorter, more melodic instrumental pieces. Olsen’s vision is further realized by including special guests Owen Pallett, Màiri Chaimbeul, alaska B, and Zoon, each representing older music traditions. Celtic, European, North American Indigenous, and Traditional Chinese are explored and stretched, offering a modern perspective on ancient intuitively based traditions.

“My production style has always been about Real vs. Fake, presenting the apparent reality of something, revealing it to be false, and then presenting the actual reality as pure fantasy. I love the simulacrum concept, that the copy is more real than real.” Olsen weaves these subversive elements into the album’s sound, challenging listeners’ expectations as to what they are hearing while still maintaining an immersive musical experience.

While Michael Peter Olsen dismantles the preconceived notions surrounding the cello, he continues to create evocative, emotional music. With its release on October 27th, 2023 via Hand Drawn Dracula Records, Narrative of a Nervous System invites listeners to explore the disconnections between mind and body and offers a transformative musical journey that resonates with both the modern world and ancient traditions.