He studied composition with Michael Finnissy at the Royal Academy of Music and completed his doctorate with Brian Ferneyhough at Stanford University.
Additional influences include Stefan Wolpe, Iannis Xenakis as well as bands such as The Shaggs and the Yellow Magic Orchestra. Other important works include Broken Frames, for cello and piano, and the solo piano pieces Injera and The Principle of Terrestrial Mediocrity (which was recorded for Civil Defense by Chris Jones). His most substantial work to date is "Everything in Life can be Montaged", an hour-long piece for soprano, 2 solo celli, percussion, ensemble and electronics based on ideas and texts by the Russian thinker Viktor Shklovsky.
lieutenant received its first performance at the Royal Academy of Music in June 2009.
In 2013, a first portrait Civil Defense of his music was released on Carrier Records. His music has also been performed at the Cheltenham Festival, BMIC Cutting Edge series, Rational Rec, Carnegie Hall and by the Berlin-based Ensemble Mosaik at SWR Ars Nova.
He lectures at the Royal Academy of Music, where he teaches analysis and music theory. He also writes a column on rock and popular music for Clash.