Electronic producer Evan Shornstein AKA Photay writes deeply personal records, and the pastoralist unity of his fifth solo record Windswept is even more explicit. Out now via Mexican Summer, he began the project by designing a synth patch to “mimic the ‘wind’ as a powerful, deep, unpredictable and at times overwhelming spirit.” It became Windswept’s instrumental throughline, and the wind its thematic maypole. With the natural world at his feet, Shornstein proves a masterful and assured conductor of the elements once more.
When did you start making music, and what were your earliest influences?
I started making music with Acid Pro in fourth grade. My earliest influences in electronic music were Aphex Twin, Orbital and Autechre. I was also influenced by the music my parents played in the house. This included Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum, Medieval & Renaissnace choral music, and the Beatles. Sometimes I would fall asleep to CDs of train sounds.
You grew in Saugerties and Woodstock, New York, but now reside in California. What attracted you about the west coast, and drew you to LA specifically?
I’ve spent my whole life up until this year living in the Catskills or New York City. I’m really interested in different perspectives and different landscapes, so the west coast began calling. I started collaborating a lot within the musical community in LA these last years. Plus, my partner Celia lives there, so the move was an obvious one.
You’ve just released the gorgeous Windswept, your fifth solo album, via Mexican Summer. How does it feel to have it out in the world?
It feels really good! People are sending me very nice notes about their experiences with the record. Someone told me it made them cry, which is really touching and special for me to know.
You’ve created lots of different kinds of sound over the past decade and have very prodigious output. What inspires you to keep exploring?
I’m a very open person. I am always seeking new music, new perspectives, and new experiences. As far as music is concerned, my mind and perception of sound is always changing and evolving, which keeps everything interesting and challenging in a good way. Sharing music with people is one of the highest forms of inspiration for me. Every time I release a record or play a show or listen to music in community or collaborate in anyway, I get so much feedback and new information that motivates me to continue. It’s a balance of this external experience and my internal dedication to the sound.
“I am always seeking new music, new perspectives, and new experiences. As far as music is concerned, my mind and perception of sound is always changing and evolving, which keeps everything interesting and challenging in a good way.”
Your music is always under the spell of the elements, effortlessly encapsulating the physical, spiritual and emotional energy of the natural world. Is that intentional, or was it a subliminal path?
Both. I was fortunate to grow up close to forests and mountains but it wasn’t until college when I started to have a new awareness and gratitude for the natural world. Now, I have an unconditional appreciation and I make it an unconditional priority. The natural world brings me peace, fear (vulnerability), awe and gratitude. When I listen to it, see it, make time for it… I learn a lot and I feel a tremendous amount of inspiration. For example, I lived next to a river for three years and it changed my life in ways I could have never predicted.
You designed a synth patch to “mimic the ‘wind’ on Windswept,” which became instrumental throughline of the record. How did you do that, and was this a deliberate starting point for ‘Windswept,’ or an idea that developed over time?
Four spring seasons ago, I was experimenting with a synth and stumbled into creating a sound that made me really excited. It was really windy that season and there was a week where almost every day you could hear this deep roaring tone that seemed to stretch for miles. I made a few pieces for Windswept during this time but quickly moved onto some other projects and stowed the demos away. The wind stayed present on my mind and finally, a year later, I opened the synth patch and decided to make a whole record staying close to this spirit.
Organic instrumentation from the likes of Randall Fisher, Will Epstein, Carlos Niño, Nate Mercereau and Mariana Bragada complement the electronic textures of the record beautifully. How do you strike this balance?
I’ve been involved in some great collaborations these last few years, but I was starting to feel a strong pull back to solo work. My intention was to work solo while still inviting a collaborative spirit. For certain songs, I worked with loops or excerpts from past sessions with other musicians. Sometimes I would fly in one of these loops/excerpts and it would land randomly within a piece I was already working on. To my surprise, it usually landed perfectly and in sync with the piece. Other times, I would start with a live recording and then produce/write from that place. Literally, I was transported back to the same place, time, session with those musicians.
And finally what is next in store for Photay, now that Windswept is out?
I’m playing a bunch of live shows! I will be performing across the US this October and November, in Asia in December, and likely UK/ EU early next year. Other than that, I have a lot of other music I need to finish.
