I was born and raised in New York City. I began piano lessons just before turning four. In junior high, I picked up the clarinet. Later, I studied both instruments at Juilliard.
I played with orchestras and chamber music ensembles in the halls of Lincoln Center during my classical performance career, and then found a niche as a freelance synth artist in the electronic music scene in the late 90s. I also had a brief episode in the underground alternative circuit with a band called Narchitect. I have a really new electroacoustic/pop-punk project called Voltaic which doesn’t even have a website yet. Then there’s my solo work, which is a fusion of dance and live electronics.
shahlaatlas.com, myspace.com/shahlaatlas
This album was genre-defying and revolutionary, not-to-mention the first album to feature a digital sampling synthesizer.
I played this until I literally wore the tape out. I appreciate loop-based music and find even the most repetitive drum and bass calming – all because of this album.
I don’t think anyone will ever capture the dark-witted and methodical genius of sarcasm in electronic music, the way that Aphex did on this album. Sheer brilliance.