Music
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If you’ve been yearning for some more sweet beats lately, then A-ux is your man. Under the aforementioned alias, Tae Kim’s the man behind one of New York’s most thrilling electronic/shoe gaze live acts today! Filled with abstract break beats and soothing ambient hooks, A-ux captures the best qualities of hip-hop, techno, experimental, rock and electronic music, all with an added twist of that inner-city Brooklyn flava.
Kim started working the club scene back in 2004, when he released his stunning debut album Duotone. Although the record received a lot of praise A-ux didn’t pop up again until this year with two bumpin’ new albums and an E.P. on the way. And thank goodness he’s back, because electronica has been needing a fresher sound for awhile now.
A few years ago, A-ux sounded reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails (particularly around the time of Pretty Hate Machine), with dark and chaotic industrial undertones mixed with abstract ambiance. Nowadays however, the artist’s music has evolved into something that’s more science fiction meets Nancy Drew. It’s mysterious, it’s spacey and it’s constantly keeping you on your toes with mood-changing rhythms that are both fun to dance or relax to.
From the soothing ethereal mix of “NY Dreamer” to the pumpin’ trance-induced “Miss Bytes”, A-ux hooks us one by one with intelligent and unique tracks. And it’s impossible to not get wrapped up in the fresh ’80s electro beat of “Journey to New Hope” (which would make a perfect addition to the already killer score from The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension)! Also, don’t miss the catchy “Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock (Remix) or “Neon Generation”, with its video game feel, invoking memories of fictional adventures in alternate universes.
Overall, A-ux is something you just don’t want to pass up. Besides the man’s got a wicked reputation for out of this world stage shows! So, if you happen to be stuck up in the freezing Northern states any time soon, be sure to check this cool cat out. He’s sure to please. - Consequence of Sound
A-ux’s world is one where gravity does not exist, everything is colored in neon shades, and amidst the bleeps and buzzes, lay the stories of everyone from twenty-something year old disco queens and club prowlers, to multi-colored aliens and video game heroes.
With one CD already out on I-tunes (Duotone), and another E.P. (Auxism) set for a tentative January ‘09 date, this NYC based artist is no stranger to spinning out track after track of intricate, original, and creative pieces.
“Journey To New Hope” lives up to its name, starting with classic electro beats, reminiscent of pinball machines and dance clubs, and transitioning effortlessly to ambient electronica, showcasing soaring keyboards. As I listen, I almost feel like I’m flying through a strobe-lit sky; yet it’s not trippy… it’s oddly freeing.
“Neon Generation,” layered with fuzzy static, tinny clanking, frantic, melodic beeps, and atmospheric whirring, is fun and energetic, creating the perfect blend between contrasting elements.
I have found a personal obsession within “Cocked Locked Ready To Rock.” This song is fierce. It’s like the Ting-Tings walked into a dance club and started throwing beer bottles around, shouting obscenities to a sweaty sea of people too immersed in the beats and their own dancing to care. (Note: This is really just a re-mix of a MonoSurround track. The Ting-Ting’s are just innocent bystanders thrown into the mix of things because this song reminded me of their music.)
A-ux is what I’d like to coin as “eclecto-electro.” It’s unconventional electronica with a twist of cool. It’s futuristic yet classic, structured yet experimental, and if I ever find myself at an inter-galactic dance party (you never know…), I’ll be sure to crank this up as all the stars and galaxies align to listen. - Quiet Color
If you’ve been yearning for some more sweet beats lately, then A-ux is your man. Under the aforementioned alias, Tae Kim’s the man behind one of New York’s most thrilling electronic/shoe gaze live acts today! Filled with abstract break beats and soothing ambient hooks, A-ux captures the best qualities of hip-hop, techno, experimental, rock and electronic music, all with an added twist of that inner-city Brooklyn flava.
Kim started working the club scene back in 2004, when he released his stunning debut album Duotone. Although the record received a lot of praise A-ux didn’t pop up again until this year with two bumpin’ new albums and an E.P. on the way. And thank goodness he’s back, because electronica has been needing a fresher sound for awhile now.
A few years ago, A-ux sounded reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails (particularly around the time of Pretty Hate Machine), with dark and chaotic industrial undertones mixed with abstract ambiance. Nowadays however, the artist’s music has evolved into something that’s more science fiction meets Nancy Drew. It’s mysterious, it’s spacey and it’s constantly keeping you on your toes with mood-changing rhythms that are both fun to dance or relax to.
From the soothing ethereal mix of “NY Dreamer” to the pumpin’ trance-induced “Miss Bytes”, A-ux hooks us one by one with intelligent and unique tracks. And it’s impossible to not get wrapped up in the fresh ’80s electro beat of “Journey to New Hope” (which would make a perfect addition to the already killer score from The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension)! Also, don’t miss the catchy “Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock (Remix) or “Neon Generation”, with its video game feel, invoking memories of fictional adventures in alternate universes.
Overall, A-ux is something you just don’t want to pass up. Besides the man’s got a wicked reputation for out of this world stage shows! So, if you happen to be stuck up in the freezing Northern states any time soon, be sure to check this cool cat out. He’s sure to please. - Consequence of Sound
New Yorker A-ux produces cool, ambient rivers of electro, then tinkers about with metallic synths and proper electronic keyboard buzzes and warps over the top. Its really good to wind down to. Here's a couple of tracks he's generously passed on to share. Just wait till 2.15 into Journey to New Hope. Grab hold of something. - Cassette Culture
I have been loving everything that has been released in the last 11 months by Futurecop!, Hercules and Love Affair and Cut Copy. I forget who said the line "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" but that's all that comes to mind when I hear the new EP from A-ux from New York City. Mind bending synths and guitar solos so processed they sound like Atari 2600 sound castoffs that take refuge in the song 'Journey To A New Hope'. 'NY Dreamer' is another warm sample of relaxed arthouse pop by way of futuristic electronica. - Voulesrandom
New Yorker A-ux produces cool, ambient rivers of electro, then tinkers about with metallic synths and proper electronic keyboard buzzes and warps over the top. Its really good to wind down to. Here's a couple of tracks he's generously passed on to share. Just wait till 2.15 into Journey to New Hope. Grab hold of something. - Cassette Culture
Local New Yorker A-ux hit us up with some great tracks last week, and it would be a shame to let them languish any longer. They’re pretty diverse, with “Journey to New Hope” being something you’d expect to hear on one of the old Magik CDs and his Monosurround remix being a dance floor banger.
Most of his work his original and steams from his classical piano background mixed up with a solid technical prowess. You can tell he’s got the talent and the ear, since all his tracks are mastered well, produced well, are musically interesting.. and.. oh yeah! They kinda rock.
We’ll start with “Journey to New Hope” –its a total closet epic trance track. I say that in dearest affection as someone who owns enough Epic Trance records to feed a third world country (so shush all you rave haters who unknowingly dance to hard house). It definitely has a throw back feel for me, but the production is top notch and wouldn’t be too out of place in a lot of sets you hear these days. Hell, check it out for yourself:
“Neon Generation” is a slick track that kinda fits into the Valerie mold of tracks: dancey while being low key and still manages to get some funkiness into it as well. Pretty good addition to anyone’s playlist.
His Monosurround remix is the track I’m sure most of you will enjoy most. With a pounding 4/4 bassline, grungy FM bass synth and driving hi-hats, its got all the elements necessary to make the kids get down on the dance floor. Plus the gritty vocals of Monosurround keep up the energy and provided a nice vocal hook to worm its way into your head. - Resonator Magazine
New Yorker, A-ux, makes old school tinged dance music. I'm not talking about that drug fuelled rave crap. No, this is the kind of dance music you can unwind to and gently bop your hat holder. Kind of ambient. Kind of euphoric, and crammed with some gorgeous metallic synth work. He has an album out, y'know. - Check the Availability
Local New Yorker A-ux hit us up with some great tracks last week, and it would be a shame to let them languish any longer. They’re pretty diverse, with “Journey to New Hope” being something you’d expect to hear on one of the old Magik CDs and his Monosurround remix being a dance floor banger.
Most of his work his original and steams from his classical piano background mixed up with a solid technical prowess. You can tell he’s got the talent and the ear, since all his tracks are mastered well, produced well, are musically interesting.. and.. oh yeah! They kinda rock.
We’ll start with “Journey to New Hope” –its a total closet epic trance track. I say that in dearest affection as someone who owns enough Epic Trance records to feed a third world country (so shush all you rave haters who unknowingly dance to hard house). It definitely has a throw back feel for me, but the production is top notch and wouldn’t be too out of place in a lot of sets you hear these days. Hell, check it out for yourself:
“Neon Generation” is a slick track that kinda fits into the Valerie mold of tracks: dancey while being low key and still manages to get some funkiness into it as well. Pretty good addition to anyone’s playlist.
His Monosurround remix is the track I’m sure most of you will enjoy most. With a pounding 4/4 bassline, grungy FM bass synth and driving hi-hats, its got all the elements necessary to make the kids get down on the dance floor. Plus the gritty vocals of Monosurround keep up the energy and provided a nice vocal hook to worm its way into your head. - Resonator Magazine
New York City resident A-ux is one such cybernetic artist who propels ambient breakbeat electronica into an exciting new trajectory. His latest album, Duotone, amasses the tremendous influential resources attributed to hip-hop, intelligent dance music (via Warp Records), techno, electro, rock, pop, experimental and classical. Inner-city Brooklyn flava instantly filters through the cuts “Duplicity” and “Breaking Point," bearing resemblance to Ming FS’ ambient drum 'n’ bass styling and trip-hop sensibilities. A-ux also wonderfully implements his considerable discipline as a classical pianist, manifesting tranquil empyrean spaces on “H.M.” and “Hallucination Pt. I.” The alluring ambience of A-ux’s phantasmagoric experimental soundscapes throughout Duotone harkens to predecessors such as Higher Intelligence Agency, Aphex Twin, Biosphere and The Black Dog, though not a strict pantomime, as he exudes a distinctly methodical technique and employs unique variations on tonality and beat structure. “On the Subway,” “Epilogue” and “Invisible Wall” are indispensable illustrations. Simply stated, A-ux is an amazing musician with an artistic vision. I absolutely loved this album in its entirety, and I’m highly anticipating future sonic explorations into the vast oceans of space and time. - Agouti - Agouti Magazine
This New York based producer, has got his inspiration for his own sound, from the sound of the legendary WARP RECORDS label. Duotone is a fantastic collection of ambient and electronica gems. His production is very original and he certainly takes his music to places only he could. It is crunchy and punchy with loads of breakbeats and atmospheric synths, thrown in with countless sounds and fx to really make each piece of music move, and create a truly electronic storyline. This music does seem to tell a story to those that are prepared to sit back and listen, so why not try it out... this is art, appreciate it!
TAE GYUN aka A-ux, has studied classical piano since a very young age, and maybe it was this education of the intricate work of the piano, that drew him towards becoming an electronica producer. Maybe it was the whole cultural aspect that both the classical piano/electronica may have over say the guitar/rock that has shaped what kind of tunes he is making now, but one thing is for sure... this guy does like to experiment. EXPERIMENT can be a dirty word sometimes, but, one thing that attracted us to this mans music was the fact that it is most definitely experimental music though quite accessible. We reckon a lot of peeps will enjoy this tunage. The album is not too "weird", to be blunt! In fact it is beautiful.
The 11 tracks on the EP are all atmospherical and each has its own strong points. Collectively this is a very fine musical ambient/electronica album, with plenty of big beats and large soundscapes. The emphasis in the production is much more electronica than ambient, though the sounds used are quite the opposite.... mostly ambient synths, riffs, even beats. But the sounds that this prodigious talent applies to the background of the album, and the way he effects it all (in essence, the production) has a very loose cannon feel to it. Very electronica with beeps and blips, and sounds flying all over your speakers!!!! TAE describes his main influences as being BOARDS OF CANADA, and to a slightly lesser extent DEBUSSY and Stone Temple Pilots. He has managed to bring a certain timeless feel to his music, not unlike the aforementioned artists, maybe this is where he has picked it up, but his talent is very obvious as soon as you start listening.
The first track we chose is the buoyant "H.M." It has a sharp synth sound, and some nice subtle breaks to get it started, and really does fill the room with sound. The sound just flows out of the speakers with this one! It got everybodies vote, mainly due to the emotional piano that just takes it over. Gorgeous... And then when the strings arrive, tears will fall. GOVERNMENT WARNING: Make sure you are not in an emotional state when listening to this music, or it will hurt.
The second track we chose is a Dn'B infested laid back breakbeat track called "4/17". It is another emotional trip, and has some very wicked synths that sound very stringy. Another thing that really stands out about this tune, is the deep ethnic feel right from the outset. He can do that too!
The third featured track is the opening track from the album. And what an opener it is. You can tell that TAE has tailored this to create a vibe when the listener presses play on their cd player for the first time. This makes an impact straight away, and overall, the track is a very well produced crunchy, distorted breakbeat number.
- Queep Organic
New York City resident A-ux is one such cybernetic artist who propels ambient breakbeat electronica into an exciting new trajectory. His latest album, Duotone, amasses the tremendous influential resources attributed to hip-hop, intelligent dance music (via Warp Records), techno, electro, rock, pop, experimental and classical. Inner-city Brooklyn flava instantly filters through the cuts “Duplicity” and “Breaking Point," bearing resemblance to Ming FS’ ambient drum 'n’ bass styling and trip-hop sensibilities. A-ux also wonderfully implements his considerable discipline as a classical pianist, manifesting tranquil empyrean spaces on “H.M.” and “Hallucination Pt. I.” The alluring ambience of A-ux’s phantasmagoric experimental soundscapes throughout Duotone harkens to predecessors such as Higher Intelligence Agency, Aphex Twin, Biosphere and The Black Dog, though not a strict pantomime, as he exudes a distinctly methodical technique and employs unique variations on tonality and beat structure. “On the Subway,” “Epilogue” and “Invisible Wall” are indispensable illustrations. Simply stated, A-ux is an amazing musician with an artistic vision. I absolutely loved this album in its entirety, and I’m highly anticipating future sonic explorations into the vast oceans of space and time. - Agouti - Agouti Magazine
Hip-hop thumping beats and big melodic hits reign out from the start of this chunky album. Submerged in a myriad of influences from mainstream electronic pioneers such as Tangerine Dream, A-ux brings delayed arpeggios, thick basses and dub-dance beats to the fore. The sound is fun and in your face. - ModSquare
Initially the music of New York based Tae Gyun hits you like you’re trapped in the spin dry cycle, a swirling multitude of ingredients spinning around, interlocking into a strange somewhat upbeat cohesive whole. Yet it’s constantly changing, embracing some techno elements, whilst drawing influence from hip hop, late nineties Warp electronica, the melodic intimacy of Boards of Canada and more ambient techniques. What makes it exciting is that despite the myriad of styles it never feels like a collage, nor like A-ux is excessively derivative. There are a few exceptional moments of inspiration, one being Hallucination Pt 1 in which Gyun steps away from the beats and gets into some dark mechanical ambient work and hallucination Pt 2 in which he melds some repetitive pulses with some heavy duty breakbeat. - Cyclic Defrost
Hip-hop thumping beats and big melodic hits reign out from the start of this chunky album. Submerged in a myriad of influences from mainstream electronic pioneers such as Tangerine Dream, A-ux brings delayed arpeggios, thick basses and dub-dance beats to the fore. The sound is fun and in your face. - ModSquare
Discography
Sounds From 22 channels (Full Album)
Duotone (Full Album)
Auxism (E.P)
2009 - Sisters (Compilation album)
Photos
Bio
Inspired by a range of genres, the Korean-born Electronica artist, Juno Ray, pulls contrasting moods from his love of artists like Boards of Canada, Squarepusher, Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, Debussy, Smashing Pumpkins, NOFX, Daft Punk and most recently, Fred Falke. Regardless of the inspiration, he sets out to capture that rock oriented energy and intensity with the aid and support of analog synthesizers and computers.
Tae Gyun Kim studied classical piano from an early age. This combined with his experimentally driven attitude allowed him to create a concrete balance between musical understanding and technical ability. Driven to become a force in contemporary electronic music, Kim discovered his current trajectory and interest in music technologies while studying Music Synthesis at the world renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.
Upon graduation from Berklee in 2004, Tae moved to New York City and released his first full length record, Duotone, under the moniker A-ux. While in New York, A-ux became a favorite within the Shoe Gaze scene and among many early bloggers of the time. Despite growing interest in his recorded music and live performances, this era in Tae's career was cut short in 2009 due to his required military service obligation in his native country of Korea.
With his service in the military being not a choice of his own, he was always eager to dig back into his musical studies and compositions whenever possible. It was during this time that Tae truly delved into the art of remixing. The realization of an ability to anchor a counter melody to a well-performed, predetermined vocal melody, pressed Kim into a new realm of endless compositional exercise. Add to this his belief that texture can be everything to an artist's sound, and most listeners will find the beauty in Juno Ray's loving marriage of his original analog synth sounds and his staunch compositions.
Tae states that, "These days, electronic music became way too body-moving music. I want to bring back the electronica music back to the time when the music emotionally brought you in a surreal realm. That's why I loved electronica music in a first place. I hate current functioning EDM crap".
Looking forward to a new start as Juno Ray, Tae will leave behind his A-ux moniker. Regardless of what the brand is, within his music there is, and always will be, the primary goal to provide the listener with a unique trance through an emotionally textured soundscape. Whether they be original or remixed compositions, pieces by Juno Ray attempt to be everlasting and distinctive.
Juno Ray welcomes the challenges that today's music industry brings. Any opportunity to collaborate with an accomplished artist is a blessing well met and he looks forward to continuing to produce his own music as well as the music of others. Tae Gyun Kim currently resides in Seoul, Korea.
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