* En anglais uniquement
Photay is Evan Shornstein, an electronic musician from Woodstock, New York who balances analog and digital recordings in a broader mix of organic and synthetic sounds. First inspired by exposure to the music of
Aphex Twin at an early age, over time he took up the drums, turntablism, music composition, and experiments with field recordings and sampling. The project emerged from a trip to Guinea, West Africa to study African drumming that resulted in the self-released Photay. The six-track EP was given vinyl and expanded digital releases in 2014 by the Brooklyn-based Astro Nautico label as Shornstein was finishing a degree in music composition at Purchase College. His Sadie EP followed in March 2016. Inspired by the interplay of nature and technology in a time of climate change and social media addiction,
Photay's official full-length debut,
Onism, arrived in the summer of 2017 on Astro Nautico. Self-recorded in Brooklyn and Woodstock, it featured vocal performances by
Madison McFerrin ("Outré Lux") and, in a rare appearance, Shornstein himself ("Aura"). The following year, he issued Onism: Remixed, featuring reinterpretations by Hubie Davison,
Sam O.B.,
Phil Moffa, Yonsei, and more. Whereas
Onism was recorded in the rural parts of upstate New York, his follow-up album, 2020's
Waking Hours, saw Shornstein recording in the city; this was reflected in the album's themes of constant productivity as opposed to switching off and contemplating life at a slower pace. The following year saw the release of
On Hold, a collection of songs derived from call-waiting music that was originally issued online the year prior to raise funds for New York City Food Bank. ~ Marcy Donelson