Azmyl Yunor
Azmyl Yunor | |
---|---|
Birth name | Azmyl Yunor |
Born | 1977 |
Origin | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
Genres | Folk rock, lo-fi, experimental rock |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist, writer |
Years active | 1997-present |
Labels | Rapidear , Troubadours |
Website | http://www.azmylyunor.com |
Azmyl Yunor (born 1977 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) is an independent English and Malay language singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, academic and writer from Malaysia.[1][2] He is a journalist and filmmaker by training.[3]
His works have ranged from folk-country singer-songwriter styles to experimental guitar improvisations to punk and indie-noise rock, solo and with various bands he has founded and recorded with.[4][5] All of his solo recordings are released on his own Rapidear label (his earlier obscure cassette home recordings are out of print) and Troubadours.[1] A former street musician,[3][5] he is noted for his strong songwriting and lyrics, and laidback on-stage presence yet energetic live shows. He has also composed and collaborated for film, television, theatre, dance and spoken word/poetry productions.[4][6][7][8][9][10]
With the release of the country folk-flavored Tenets EP (2005 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ron Khoo) in 2005 to acclaim,[11][12][13] he garnered wider attention of the press and established himself as one of the main movers of the burgeoning Malaysian singer-songwriter scene along with the likes of Meor Aziddin Yusof, Pete Teo, Shanon Shah and Shelley Leong. He has also recorded and released lo-fi recordings under the name Thunder Coffee Club.[14] He was voted as one of KLue magazine's '20 Under 40 - Significant & Young Individuals or Collectives' along with the likes of Mawi, Daphne Iking, Tiara Jacquelina, and Amir Muhammad in 2006.[15] His bi-lingual album Warga (2010 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ariff Akhir) saw him launch a self-funded 20-month tour to promote it.[16] His latest album Wilayah (2012 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ron Khoo) was recorded with his touring band the Sigarettes.[17]
He is a co-founder and member of the Experimental Musicians and Artists Co-operative Malaysia (Emacm) and a co-founder of Troubadours Enterprise, organisers of the annual singer-songwriter festival KL Sing Song from 2005 to 2009.[1][4][5] He was also a guitarist for Damo Suzuki's Network in Malaysia for a performance together in 2010.[18] A musical named after one of his popular songs "Something I Wrote" (directed by Mark Teh, produced by the Five Arts Centre) based on his life and works was staged in August 2013, during which he also launched a retrospective cd Revenge of the Rabak: Selected Works from the Lo-fi Years 1997-2005 comprising selected songs from his lo-fi cassette releases and the Tenets EP in its entirety.[19]The Pedra Branca EP (2014 / produced by Ronnie Khoo, Azmyl Yunor, & Jeremy Lee), a split EP with Singaporean doom folk artist Hell Low, was released in April 2014 and they both toured Singapore and Peninsula Malaysia to promote the release.[20]
After the disbandment of Azmyl Yunor & the Sigarettes in August 2014, he began work on a new album called Was Was and formed Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu with collaborator/ producer and ex-Sigarettes drummer Raje.[21] The band released its debut single "Tanah air Ku" ("My Motherland") from the new album on Malaysia Day [22] and made its debut festival performance at Urbanscapes 2014.[23]
He lectures media and film studies at Sunway University.[16][24]
He has also performed as a duo with fellow singer-songwriter Shanon Shah.
Discography
- The Pedra Branca EP (split EP with Hell Low) (2014)
- Revenge of the Rabak: Selected Works from the Lo-fi Years 1997-2005 (2013)
- Wilayah (2012)
- H.I.D.U.P.: Hari Ini Di Ukay Perdana (2010)
- Warga (2010)
- Tenets EP (2005)
- jikalauan EP (2004)
- ends (2003)*
- The Photocopy Album (2001)*
- PRE-DUSK GLIMMER (1999)*
- FOLK (1998)*
- Watever (1997)*
Note: * cassette only releases
Filmography
- Songs From The Mekong (2012. Dir: Steve Northcott & Gary Blanton)- Actor / Composer
- Tolong! Awek Aku Pontianak (2011. Dir: James Lee)- Cameo & Film Composer
- I Want To Remember (2011. Dir: Sherman Ong) - Film Composer
- Year Without A Summer (Berkelana) (2011. Dir: Tan Chui Mui) - Film Score/ Composer
- Rojak (2009. Dir: Suleiman Brothers) - Supporting Role
- Before We Fall in Love Again (2006. Dir: James Lee) - Film Composer
- The Flowers Beneath My Skin (2006. Dir: Kit Ong) - Film Score/ Composer
- Sehingga KL Ku Menyanyi (Until My KL Sings) (2006. Dir: Mien Lor) - Supporting Role
Publication
- "Busking the Days Away" (in 'What's After SPM?', editor: Roshan Thiran. Leaderonomics Publishing, Kuala Lumpur 2011.)
- "Facing the Music: Music Subcultures and 'Morality' in Malaysia" (in 'Media, Culture & Society in Malaysia.', editor: Yeoh Seng Guan. Taylor & Francis Routledge, London 2010.)
Television
- Kias Ramadhan (2011)
- Anak-Anak Ramadhan (2009)
Appearances
- The Maharajah Commission/Gangly Youth split 7" - The Maharajah Commission (2012)
- Rasa Sayang Jalan Sultan compilation - various artists (2012)
- On The Beat and Path compilation - various artists (2012)
- Radio Demokratika compilation - various artists (2011)
- Soal Kelentong Batu Cheng - Ladang Gempak (2006)
- Voices From Next Door compilation - various artists (2006)
- Mamak Conspiracy - Ben's Bitches (2006)
- It's Great To Have An EP... - Ciplak! (2006)
- Panic in the Peninsula compilation - various artists (2005)
- Come Together compilation - various artists (2005)
- National Disservice - Ben's Bitches (2004)
- Punkrawkoholic vol. 1 compilation (as Thunder Coffee Club) - various artists (2003)
- Dialogue Amoreaux - The Maharajah Commission (2003)
- The Experimental Musicians & Artists Co-op Malaysia SELECTED LIVE JAN-FEB 2003 (2003) - various artists (2003)
References
- ^ a b c Chris True (2008), "Azmyl Yunor", All Music Guide, retrieved 14 October 2010
- ^ Xeni Jardin (17 October 2005), More on sociology of Malaysian Black Metal, retrieved 20 October 2010
- ^ a b Fahmi Fadzil (28 August 2005), "Rocking to stay true", The Star/Entertainment/Music/News & Feature, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 15 October 2010
- ^ a b c Zack Yusof (8 December 2006), "Rocking good time", The Star/Entertainment/Music/News & Feature, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 14 October 2010
- ^ a b c Nick Choo (24 September 2009), "Sharing a common thread", The Nutgraph, Petaling Jaya: The Nutgraph, retrieved 15 October 2010
- ^ "15Malaysia", TimeOutKL/Film & TV, Kuala Lumpur, 17 August 2009, retrieved 15 October 2010
- ^ Projek Wayang (26 November 2009), "Wayang Fajar", Projek Wayang, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 15 October 2010
- ^ Jason (6 August 2009), "Download Kit Ong x Azmyl Yunor, Ronnie Khoo and Yong Yandsen Urbanscapes collabo", Junk, Kuala Lumpur, retrieved 15 October 2010
- ^ chuimui (23 September 2010), IKAN: written by Azmyl Yunor for The Year Without A Summer, Petaling Jaya: Da huang Pictures, retrieved 15 October 2010
- ^ CHO Young-jung (October 2010), Year Without A Summer, Pusan, South Korea: Pusan International Film Festival, retrieved 15 October 2010
- ^ Adlin Rosli (22 June 2005), "The Thinking Man", Kakiseni, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 14 October 2010
- ^ Daryl Goh (May 2005), "Tenets EP", The Star/Entertainment/Music/Reviews, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 6 April 2010
- ^ Zack Yusof (31 May 2005), "Folk music from Azmyl Yunor", The Star/Entertainment/Music/Reviews, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 14 October 2010
- ^ Kenneth Yu (July 2005), "Troubadour in Transit", Think, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 14 October 2010
- ^ Nurhanie (September 2006), "KLue List", MawiFC.com, Malaysia, retrieved 25 January 2011
- ^ a b Edward Gomez (10 May 2010), "Songs of a nation", The Star/Entertainment/Music/News & Feature, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 14 October 2010
- ^ N. Rama Lohan (31 July 2012), "Craft Over Cool", The Star, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 31 July 2012
- ^ Switch ON (November 2010), "DAMO SUZUKI'S NETWORK: Live in KL", Switch ON, Kuala Lumpur, retrieved 11 May 2011
- ^ Wong Boon Ken (23 August 2013), Mark Teh and Azmyl Yunor on 'Something I Wrote', Kuala Lumpur: TimeOut Kuala Lumpur, retrieved 5 October 2013
- ^ Ling Low (28 April 2014), Notes From A Small Island, Kuala Lumpur: Poskod Malaysia, retrieved 14 June 2014
- ^ Izyan Liyana (21 August 2014), INTERVIEW: AZMYL YUNOR & THE SIGARETTES, Kuala Lumpur: The Wknd, retrieved 11 May 2015
- ^ Coconuts KL (17 September 2014), Music Video: Azmyl Yunor's "Tanah Air Ku" is a road trip into Malaysia's heart, Kuala Lumpur: Coconuts KL, retrieved 11 May 2015
- ^ Urbanscapes (26 September 2014), Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu, Kuala Lumpur: Urbanscapes, retrieved 11 May 2015
- ^ Sunway University, Performance & Media: Academic Staff, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 15 October 2010
External links
- Official website
- "Notes From A Small Island" Poskod.my
- "Azmyl Yunor on why keeps on playing" The Malay Mail Online
- MySpace Page
- Azmyl Yunor Allmusic Guide entry
- "Songs of a nation" The Star
- Interview with Azmyl Yunor untyteld
- "Malaysia's Favourite Band-mate" Voize
- "Focus artist: Azmyl Yunor & the Sigarettes" JUICEOnline.com
- "Rocking good time" The Star
- "Folk music from Azmyl Yunor" The Star
- "Troubadour in Transit" Think Online
- "Rocking to stay true" StarMag
- "The Thinking Man" Kakiseni.com
- The Star review of Tenets EP
- Kakiseni review of Tenets EP
- Think.com review of Tenets EP
- More on sociology of Malaysian Black Metal Boing Boing entry