Phill Niblock Cause of Death: New York Composer Dead at 90

Famed composer and filmmaker Phill Niblock has died at the age of 90, his partner confirmed.

Katherine Liberovskaya told several media outlets that Niblock died on Monday, January 8, in Manhattan. The New York composer famously led the Experimental Intermedia, a foundation for avant-garde music in the Big Apple.

What Was Phill Niblock's Cause of Death?

Stereogum and other media outlets did not disclose Niblock's cause of death, but another cited Liberovskaya's statement disclosing that her partner died of heart failure in a hospital. The composer reportedly underwent several cardiac procedures over the last few years before his passing.

"Phill holds a unique place in the history of recorded music, and it was an honour to work with him for a good chunk of that time. He was a superb film-maker and photographer," a statement written by Mike and Jon on January 9, published on his website, read. "Rest in peace, Phill - and thank you. We'll be listening for the sounds as they come through the clouds."

Lawrence English also penned an obituary on The Quietus to honor Niblock's career and legacy.

The composer quoted the late music icon's recording, in which Niblock said, "You should play the music very loud. If the neighbours don't complain, it's probably not loud enough."

"I'd like to think I speak for a great many of us when I say thank you to Phill for his generosity of spirit, his fearlessness, his work ethic and his special way of being in the world. You're deeply missed, already," English ended his message.

Phill Niblock's Life and Career

The Indiana-born composer graduated from Indiana University with an economics degree. He then transferred to New York where he began working as a filmmaker and photographer before starting his career as a composer in the late 1960s.

Niblock also served as the director of Experimental Intermedia and collaborated with other artists like Ulrich Krieger and Lee Ranaldo.

Before his death, Niblock had a sit-down interview with Tone Glow where he explained the only kind of music he created.

"I defined what I was going to make in the middle of 1968, and the first piece was at the end of 1968, and that piece defined what I was going to do," he said. "What I was doing got better and more clear in a few years, but basically I had decided what to do, how I was going to do it, in a few minutes in 1968."