For Oliver Domingo, the world is alive with possibilities.
At only 18 years old, Domingo has done things that most musicians envy. He’s put together the Organically Programmed Orchestra, an eclectic ensemble of Athens musical luminaries. He has scored three films, played both solo and in ensemble across the Southeast, and released two EP/demo tapes.
Domingo is originally from Covington, a town whose music scene extended to “the occasional bluegrass band,” according to Domingo. While in high school, he would venture into Atlanta to catch shows, but found the music scene to be insular. “The jazz heads aren’t connected with the rock musicians or anything. There’s a division,” Domingo said.
It wasn’t until Domingo moved to Athens that he performed his first show, spurred on by Elephant 6 member and owner of local label Cloud Recordings John Kiran Fernandes. “I’ve gotta thank John for this,” Domingo said. “I don’t think I would have realized that I would have had potential to be making music without him booking me.”
The two met for the first time at Wuxtry, the downtown record store where Fernandes had been an employee since 1999. “He saw me messing around with keyboards, and asked me to play a show with him. That was the first Organically Programmed show, going on three years ago now,” Domingo said.
With the debut Organically Programmed record set to release around January of 2025 on Fernandes’ Cloud Recordings label, it’s clear Domingo has found a home for his music in a place where the divisions disappear, and the support across genres is mutual.
Domingo’s sound is primarily inspired by 20th century library music, as well as Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra and French jazz band Cortex. Library music, also known as production or stock music, is music composed for licensing in film, television and other media. Though the intent is almost always utilitarian in nature, library composers have experienced a secondary resurgence in avant-garde circles, often due to their close ties to film and willingness to experiment with sound in the name of setting a tone.
Domingo has been a fan of library music since he first discovered the genre at 14, and has since amassed a collection of forgotten releases that is so impressive it was displayed at the Lyndon House Arts Center in 2022. “When I’m composing, I want to think like a library music composer,” Domingo said. “They have charts in front of them with words to describe what they need for a composition. I’ll try to churn out as many ideas as I possibly can, no matter how repetitive or complex, to try to reflect what is needed for a soundtrack.”
The group’s debut album will embody all of the sounds that the Organically Programmed Orchestra has become known for on stages around town: danceable space disco with European flavor and influence from the early days of electronic music.
Following the release of the album, Domingo will go on a hiatus from the Organically Programmed project. That doesn’t mean he won’t be busy, though; he plans to use the time to offer his services to other musician’s projects, as well as begin preparations for a second album. The second album will necessitate assembling a “DIY chamber orchestra,” complete with violins, violas, contrabass, and a brass, woodwind and rhythm section. Expanding the scope of the Organically Programmed Orchestra had been a long-time ambition for Domingo, and one that will help to beef out the sound of the proposed second album.
He also plans to incorporate more performance art elements into the group’s live shows. In the past, Organically Programmed shows have involved the on-stage use of home appliances, as well as homemade food items handed out to audience members. “It’s almost too much to say, but I have a lot of things planned, and I’m very excited to execute all of these ambitious plans,” Domingo said.
The Organically Programmed Orchestra will be playing on Nov. 29 at the 12th annual Cloud Recordings Festival at Flicker Theatre and Bar. Fernandes has put on the festival since 2012 as a platform to showcase and celebrate Cloud Recordings musicians and affiliated acts.
This year will feature Athens psych-folk collective The Rishis, garage punk band Telemarket and local songwriter Patrick Barry [Editor’s Note: Barry, this story’s author, was asked to perform after being assigned to the story], with Organically Programmed Orchestra closing out the night. Organically Programmed is also set to play a show on Dec. 4 at Atlanta venue 529, as well as one Dec. 20 at Ciné.
WHO: Cloud Recordings Festival
WHEN: Nov. 29, 8 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show)
WHERE: Flicker Theatre & Bar
HOW MUCH: $12
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