User:AnaCoyote
Au4 | |
|---|---|
| Au4 Logo | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Vancouver, Canada |
| Genres | Post-rock, Dream pop, Electronica, Shoegaze |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Torn Open Records |
| Members | Ben Wylie Aaron Wylie Jason Nickel Nathan Wylie |
| Website | au4 |
Au4 is an audio/visual creative collective formed in 2004 by brothers Ben and Aaron Wylie in Vancouver, Canada. Inspired in part by the electronica explosion of the 1990s, and landmark albums by Underworld, Massive Attack, Björk, and Nine Inch Nails, Ben and Aaron began layering and shaping musical and visual composites, accumulating a body of work that would eventually find its way onto their debut album On: Audio, and into their technically involved live show On: Visual.
Au4 has released one album, On: Audio in 2006 on their independent label Torn Open Records. Their second album … And Down Goes the Sky is set to be released in January 2013.
In 2006, On: Audio was nominated for Outstanding Independent Album at the annual Western Canadian Music Awards (WCMA). Following its release, the album had regular airtime on CBC Radio 3, was featured on a variety of college radio stations across the US and Brazil, and a remix of "Everything Always Moving" was played on Tiësto’s Club Life in Europe.
History
On: Audio (2004-2006)
The "On" projects not only allude to the beginnings of Au4 as a group, but they make reference to 'reality' as an overall concept: consciousness, 'coming into being', or one’s general state of being 'on'. On: Audio is the audio representation of the project, and On: Visual is Au4's live performance and visual projection counter-part. On: Audio was produced by Au4 and Richard Dolmat at Digital Sound Magic studios and mastered by Zen Mastering in Vancouver. It was released on March 17, 2006 on Au4's independent label, Torn Open Records. The nine tracks draw from trip-hop, post-rock and dream pop styles, the vocals of Ben Wylie, who scripted the melodically woven lyrical stories. A melancholic tone weaves throughout On: Audio, but the mood is of contemplative optimism: the acoustic-guitar laced love song "Hit and Miss" undulates like a nostalgic embrace, while the bass-driven "A Mile from Here" is a captivating up-tempo track. Even the epic "An Ocean's Measure of Sorrow" rocks; a fresh take on the piano ballad. "Everything Always Moving" sums up the album's hypnotic qualities and themes of hope.
On: Audio was nominated for Western Canadian Music Awards Outstanding Independent Album of 2006. In May 2007, Au4 opened the award show with a tailored version of "Everything Always Moving".
Au4's music has been showcased on two CD compilations: "Everything Always Moving" on the Toronto Experimental Artists compilation TEA Volume 9, and "An Ocean's Measure of Sorrow" on Manoeuvers Vol. 1: A Collection of Vancouver Electronica.
Songs off the On: Audio were also featured on the science fiction-fantasy television series Sanctuary (2008 – 2012), and in the independent horror film The Chair (2007).
... And Down Goes the Sky (2010-2013)
Au4's second album … And Down Goes the Sky, digitally pre-released December 2012, was recorded and produced by Richard Dolmat, Ben Wylie and Aaron Wylie over a two-year period at Digital Sound Magic. Picking up from On: Audio back in 2006, … And Down Goes the Sky conceptualizes a journey from childhood teachings and systems of beliefs toward a world of free-thought and renewed curiosity – where the wonders, evils and beauties of our experiences are re-imagined.
Musical Style
Band Members and Featured Contributors
- Ben Wylie – lead vocals, lead guitar, sequencer, backing vocals(2004–present)
- Aaron Wylie – sequencer, synthesizer, keyboards, backing vocals(2004–present)
- Jason Nickel – bass, backing vocals (2005–present)
- Nathan Wylie – drums, backing vocals (2005–present)
- Richard Dolmat (Digital Sound Magic)– co-production, mixing(2005–
present)
- Vincent Marcone (MyPetSkeleton) – album cover art(2005–present)
- Anna Vandas – backing vocals(2005–present)
- Melanie Krueger – backing vocals(2011–present)
Discography
- On: Audio (2006)
- ... And Down Goes the Sky (2013)