Nyles Lannon
Nyles Lannon | |
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![]() N. Lannon performing at The DNA Lounge, San Francisco, 12 June 2015 | |
Background information | |
Origin | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
Genres | Folk, electronica |
Labels | Badman Recording Company |
Website | www.nlannon.com |
Nyles Lannon is a musician from San Francisco, California. Lannon makes music under the names Nyles Lannon; n.Lannon; and formerly recorded under the alias of N.LN.
Style
[edit]Lannon's music is a hybrid of homegrown acoustic folk, space rock and electronic aesthetics. Although sometimes described as a singer/songwriter, Lannon's music ranges subdued electronic pop to delicate finger picked acoustics to "glitchy" beats and soulful rock. [sic][1] N.LN, however, is mostly instrumental, abstract electronica.[2]
Musical career
[edit]At the University of Pennsylvania, Lannon first tasted a bit of minor success with his band Splendorbin, a post-punk "math rock" band that did well in the Philadelphia area and went on to record with Steve Albini in 1996, but broke up soon after their debut album Stealth came out. Lannon soon had another project, Reizoko, that released the vinyl-only EP T'nance and Tricky Ricky - a spacey, sprawling collection of lo-fi bedroom pop that was harbinger of things to come. During this time Lannon also played in the late Jason DiEmilio's noise band The Azusa Plane, and toured with the band. In 1999, Lannon and Jason Knight (also of the Azusa Plane) moved to San Francisco, and Lannon worked at the music site Epitonic.com for a couple years.
He soon joined the SF band Film School and contributed to their debut, the LP Brilliant Career and toured with the band. In 2003, Film School did a 4-song EP, Alwaysnever, which was released by Scott Kannberg's (Pavement) label Amazing Grease. Also in 2003, Lannon completed his first album, Astronomy for Children, under the name N.LN, which was released on the label Highpoint Lowlife. The album was a collection of abstract instrumental electronic tracks, in the vein of artists like Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin, and was recognized as Grooves Magazine's 'Best Album of the Year' in 2004. Also in 2004, Lannon released the album Chemical Friends, which was a bedroom indie-folk collection of songs and which also featured his voice and lyrics for the first time, earning "Best Album of the Year" from the San Francisco Bay Guardian; "Best Folktronica Artist" from SF Weekly; and generally positive reviews.[3][4][5] In 2005, Film School released their Self-Titled album on Beggars Banquet.
Lannon quit Film School in 2006, and soon began work as a session musician, and as a writer for various commercial, film, and TV productions.[6] In 2007, Lannon released another solo album, Pressure, but this one under his full name. The album featured a more rock-oriented pop sound. He married in 2008, and his son Skye was born later that year.
Lannon joined forces again with Greg Bertens of Film School and formed the band Sacred Caves, an electronic pop band, and released the Sanctuarium EP in 2012, the same year his daughter Olive was born.
In 2015, Lannon released another solo album, Falling Inside, again on the record label Badman Recording Company. 2016 saw him also playing with Film School again, playing some live shows and releasing the June EP that year, and the LP "Bright to Death" in 2018. Sacred Caves released an LP "Love Comes with a Knife" in 2017. In 2019, Lannon released "The Clouds and the Sea"EP on Badman Recording Co. The EP was produced by Count (Tycho, DJ Shadow).
Other projects
[edit]Lannon played guitar with the band, Film School, from 2001–2006, and joined again in 2015. They released an EP Alwaysnever in 2003 and the self-titled album in 2006,[7] an EP June in 2016 and the LP Bright to Death in 2019.
Lannon has an electronic project under the name N.LN, and released Astronomy for Children on UK label, Highpoint Lowlife, in 2004. This album was well received, earning 'Best Album of the Year' from Grooves Magazine and 'Album of the Week' from the BBC.
Sacred Caves
[edit]Lannon formed the duo, Sacred Caves, with former Film School collaborator and bandmate, Greg Bertens, and released an EP in 2012 called Sanctuarium.[8][9]
Releases
[edit]- Released in 2004 on the Badman Recording Company label, Chemical Friends won "Best Album of the Year" from the San Francisco Bay Guardian, and "Best Folktronica Artist" from SF Weekly for n.Lannon. Its "Turn Time Around" was featured on MTV's The Real World: Denver and CBS' Cold Case; while the song, "Cruel", was featured on Dirt.
- Astronomy for Children; released in 2004, attributed to N.LN, was well received.
- Pressure, Lannon's second solo album, was released in 2007 on Badman Recording Company; this time attributed to Nyles Lannon.[10][11][12]
- Sanctuarium, released in 2012 and attributed to duo, Sacred Caves (Lannon, Bertens).
- Falling Inside, released in 2015 on Badman Recording Company.
- The Clouds and the Sea EO, released in 2019 on Badman Recording Company.
Discographys
[edit]- Chemical Friends
- "The Catch"
- "Turn Time Around"
- "Hollow Heart"
- "My Last Breath"
- "Fortune Cookie"
- "Beached"
- "Demons"
- "Spy"
- "The Nature of Things"
- "Cruel"
- "Freak You Out"
- Astronomy for Children
- "This Morning"
- "4 Little Fires"
- "Spoke Words"
- "I Never Heard"
- "That Spun My Head"
- "Left Bubbles"
- "In Place Of..."
- "Thoughts"
- Pressure
- "Hesitation"
- "Next Obesession"
- "Did I Lose You"
- "Slipping"
- "Lost in the Stars"
- "The Well Groomed Man"
- "Better with Nothing"
- "Crash Landing"
- "Old Sam"
- "Elephant Song"
- "River"
- Falling Inside
- "Kill All These Machines"
- "Endless Night"
- "Dreamer"
- "Another Love"
- "Submarine"
- "Queen of Rivertown"
- "Captain"
- "Little Indian"
- "Valerie"
- "Hole"
- "Want Me"
- The Clouds and the Sea EP
- "The Clouds and the Sea"
- "Love Again"
- "Destination Unknown"
- "Hiding"
- "Dreamer - Alex Kemp Remix"
- "Unicorns"
- "Captain"
- "Flooding in the Brain"
- "Endless Night - Halou Remix"
References
[edit]- ^ "Best Folktronica Artist". SF Weekly. 11 May 2005. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Marsh, Peter (2004). "n.ln Astronomy for Children Review". BBC. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Schacht, John. "Nyles Lannon—Chemical Friends". Allmusic. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Wheeland, Matthew (13 October 2004). "n.Lannon: Chemical Friends". PopMatters. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ "Reviews". CMJ New Music Report. 21 June 2004. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Wolf, Kurt. "10 Ten Lists by Writers". San Francisco Bay Guardian. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Bronson, Kevin (19 January 2006). "Buzz Bands". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Hernández, Karla (21 August 2012). "Sacred Caves releases debut EP on hausKat Records". The Deli Magazine. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Brady, Erin. "Exclusive Song Premiere: 'On the Outside,' Sacred Caves". Interview. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Rabid, Jack. "Nyles Lannon - Pressure". Allmusic. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Mead, David (10 September 2007). "Nyles Lannon: Pressure". Paste. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Murray, Noel (18 September 2007). "Nyles Lannon: Pressure". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 5 January 2014.