Kyson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kyson
Birth nameJian Kellett Liew
BornAdelaide, Australia
OriginBerlin, Germany[1]
GenresElectronica
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instrument(s)
  • Guitar
  • synthesizers
  • vocals
Years active2011–present
Websitekyson-music.com

Jian Kellett Liew, known professionally as Kyson, is an Australian singer, songwriter, and producer.[2]

Early life[edit]

Liew was born in Adelaide, Australia.[3] He later moved to Sydney, Australia where he went on to study a degree in audio engineering. After graduating, he spent the next several years in Berlin working as a musician and sound artist under the name Kyson and various other monikers.[4]

Career[edit]

In 2012, Kyson gained attention for his remix of Bon Iver's "Holocene" on 4AD Records.[5] On 29 October 2012 Liew released his "Blackstone EP" on Moodgadget Recordings.[6] He was signed by Friends of Friends Records and released his first studio album The Water's Way.[7][8]

In 2015, Kyson, alongside Italian musician and producer Matteo Pavesi, co-produced the debut album of singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou, which was released on 13 May 2016.[9] The same year, Liew founded the art and music collective Average Negative with musical collaborator Chris Hill.[10]

In April 2016, Liew released his second album, A Book of Flying, with Friends of Friends Recordings.[4][11]

In 2018 Kyson released a series of AA singles, "Every High / Clear Air" and "Have My Back / Forest Green", in collaboration with B3SCI Records and Majestic Casual Records. The two releases were also part of a limited edition white vinyl record, with artwork by B.D. Graft.[12]

Pitchfork has described Liew's style as, "combin[ing] soft touches of electronic keys and rickety, pinprick rhythms, with his half-whispered lyrics and drifting melodies wrapped in sheets of textural field recordings."[6] Liew has also been described as having an, "enigmatic sound, a blend of indie, acoustic and electronic music."[13]

Collaborations[edit]

In 2014, Liew collaborated with Detroit-based musician Shigeto on the track "Water Collides".[14] In 2017, he collaborated with Australian artist Amber Cronin to create the spatial installation "Sawaru" at the Nexus Gallery in Adelaide, Australia.[15][16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Zara Golden. "Kyson Sets The Pace With "A Song About The Future"". The Fader. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  2. ^ Jamieson Cox (15 July 2013). "Friends of Friends signee Kyson shares hazy 'Missing Things'; download it now". FactMag. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  3. ^ Daniel Prior. "Kyson: A Book Of Flying". The Brad. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  4. ^ a b Jack Mahoney (3 October 2012). "FvF Mixtape #101 — Kyson". Freund von Freund. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  5. ^ Erik Thompson (3 October 2012). "Bon Iver announces winners of remix contest". Citypages. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  6. ^ a b Patric Fallon (25 October 2012). ""Ocean Tides" by Kyson". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  7. ^ Jamieson Cox (27 April 2013). "How Long by Kyson". Citypages. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  8. ^ Anthony Obst (26 August 2013). "Friends of Friends beatmaker Kyson on his debut album". Red Bull Music Academy. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  9. ^ Norman Fleischer (16 December 2016). "From The Streets To The Stars: Alice Phoebe Lou, A Role Model for Modern Musicianship". NBHAP. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  10. ^ Average Negative - Artists, 11 June 2018
  11. ^ Michelle Laggan (9 March 2016). "Kyson – "You" Video (Stereogum Premiere)". Stereogum. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  12. ^ "[B3SCI Records] Kyson - Every High / Clear Air". 24 August 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  13. ^ "Kyson - Every High". 13 July 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  14. ^ Evan Minsker (18 September 2014). "Friends of Friends Five-Year Anniversary Compilation Features How to Dress Well, Baths, Nicolas Jaar, More". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  15. ^ Tim Watts (27 April 2017). "Six Art Shows to See in May". Broadsheet Adelaide. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  16. ^ "Six Art Sawaru: Amber Cronin Opening Night". CityMag. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2018.