Cole Lumpkin is crafting ambitious new sounds for pop music. As the sole artist, producer, and instrumentalist on his latest album, OTHERWORLDS, Cole is building an immersive, multidimensional soundscape that emphasizes personality over a polished feel.
Every chord, lyric, and time signature ropes you into a world where complexity is everywhere, vulnerability is at the heart, and radical individuality is celebrated. Released with Sony Music’s The Orchard and Suite 484 Records, OTHERWORLDS is a bold addition to the pop space.
Cole Lumpkin’s Journey Into Music
Cole’s journey has not followed a traditional path. Raised in the vibrant 1990s New York City, Cole recorded jazz piano into tape decks and memorized Charlie Brown theme songs as a kid. He was also obsessed with Digimon, alien abductions, and home movies about talking objects, shaping his interdimensional music themes. These early quirks have laid the foundation for his endless imagination and world-building skills beyond music.
Inspired by the originality of bands like Gentle Giant, King Crimson, and his greatest idol, Frank Zappa, Cole began teaching himself to play multiple instruments. That ambitious personality still drives him to create versatile music to this day.
He has since served as the guitar-playing body double for Zappa on the 2019 Hologram tour, fulfilling his greatest desire to play with Frank Zappa. Cole is the keyboard player and one of the vocalists in the popular indie funk band Cool Company. His own achievements include being on the Swedish Pop and Digital Music charts for his 2020 single “Lowest Moment.”
As an artist, he has performed at famous venues like The Viper Room and The Bitter End. As a producer, he’s worked with chart-topping artists like Matchbox 20, Fetty Wap, John Legend, Santana, Forest Blakk, The Higher Brothers, and more.
Yet, OTHERWORLDS is something entirely new. This time, every note across the 11-track album is Cole’s work alone.
OTHERWORLDS: A Rebellion In Music
With a gospel-inspired opener, “Faith,” to the disco-funk, the time-bending groove of “Feel,” every track of OTHERWORLDS defies normality. “Sinplify” is a heavy, distorted fusion of funk and metal, while “Furious” is slammed with punk energy before dissolving into prog-rock nostalgia. Even the softer tracks like “Screenplay” defy the norms of any one genre.
This genre-blending style is a statement. Cole dares listeners to follow him through the shifting rhythms and moods of the track– a journey worth exploring.
How Emotions Shaped The Album
The album is defined by its emotional depth. Cole has been public about his experience with anxiety and OCD, and the album’s structure is a reflection of those internal struggles. The fluctuations in tempo and tone feel more like emotional rollercoasters– an authentic look at what it means to live inside a restless and imaginative mind. Songs like “Reflections” and “Screenplay” model these emotions, pulling listeners into the chaotic yet inspiring interior of Cole’s psyche.
Cole Lumpkin’s Breakout Album: Self-Discovery and Artistic Progress
OTHERWORLDS is a declaration of self-expression and a disregard for the confining genre boundaries. At a time when the music industry is looking for safe artistic expression, Cole Lumpkin is betting on his own boldness. With the support of The Orchard, Suite 484 Records, and his longtime manager, Ignacio Lecumberri, he enters the public eye as an artist with depth and something to say.
This album results from years of experimentation, heartbreak, joy, and self-discovery. It’s progressive pop redefined– not polished to perfection but shaped by authenticity.Listen to Cole’s releases on Apple Music and Spotify. Follow along with his journey on ColeLumpkin.com and Instagram.