Evian Christ

Joshua Leary (born 11 June 1989), better known by the stage name Evian Christ, is an English electronic music producer, DJ, songwriter and performance artist from Ellesmere Port, UK. He is signed to Tri Angle Records and to Kanye West’s publishing house, DONDA. He released his debut mixtape Kings and Them in 2012 and gained prominence as a collaborator on West's 2013 album Yeezus. He released a further EP on Tri Angle, Waterfall, in 2014.

Evian Christ
Birth nameJoshua Leary
Also known asEvian Christ
Born (1989-06-11) 11 June 1989
Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
Years active2008–present
Labels
Associated acts

In August 2015 he pulled out of Reading Festival after claiming to have been detained by security staff at the Leeds sister festival.[1][2]

Life and career

Leary grew up in the small town of Ellesmere Port, near Liverpool. He began making music after playing around with vintage keyboards belonging to his father, who initially made Kraftwerk-influenced synth music before becoming a trance DJ in the late ’90s.[3][4][5] At 19 he produced a selection of J. Dilla-influenced soul edits, and intended to release them until the label he had partnered with went out of business. While training to be a primary school teacher at Edge Hill University, Leary produced the eight tracks that would make up his debut mixtape, Kings And Them. Made music in his garage on Cubase.[4] In December 2011, he posted three of the tracks on YouTube under the name Evian Christ, apparently only for his friends to hear. They were discovered by Dummy Magazine and other music blogs, which led to a search for his identity.[6][5]

After the tracks blew up, Leary responded to a message from Tri Angle Records founder Robin Carolan, who signed him to the label. In February 2012, Tri Angle released Kings And Them, a free mixtape compiling his musical output thus far. Days after, Leary made his live debut at a Tri Angle showcase in London alongside Balam Acab, Romy xx, and The Haxan Cloak. Directly after graduating from his education program, Leary left the UK to tour in America. In July 2012, Tri Angle rereleased Kings And Them as a limited edition 12" EP featuring remastered versions of mixtape tracks "Fuck It None Of Y’All Don’t Rap," "Thrown Like Jacks," "Drip," and "MYD." [5][7]

In 2013, Kanye West reached out to Leary to produce material for his then-upcoming record Yeezus. West flew him out to Paris, where he worked with in-house engineers and producers to create the album track "I’m In It." By the end of the year, West signed Evian Christ to his publishing house, DONDA.[8] In the same year, Leary attended the Red Bull Music Academy in New York City.[9]

Leary released his debut EP, Waterfall, in March 2014. He also announced work for the follow-up to Yeezus, and hosted Trance Parties in the UK. In 2015, collaborated with artist David Rudnick to create a temporary art installation at London's ICA, and expanded his Trance Parties, with the fourth edition taking place in Liverpool, London and Sheffield.[10][11]

In August 2016, Leary produced "Pneumonia," the second single from rapper Danny Brown's critically acclaimed fourth studio album, Atrocity Exhibition.[12][13] The single was officially released on August 19 through Warp Records.

Style and influences

He was always inspired by his dad's trance DJing and then went on to discover R&B and hip-hop through MTV Base. Later, he stumbled upon experimental electronica and ambient music through Grouper, Tim Hecker and Ben Frost.[7] He tends to describes his music as deconstructionist, using samples from mainstream rap artists like Tyga but combined with his own dark, industrial beats.

Discography

Extended plays
  • Duga-3 (2013)
  • Waterfall (2014)

Mixtapes
  • Kings and Them (2012)

Production discography

2013

Kanye West – Yeezus

  • 6. "I'm in It" (produced with Kanye West, Dom Solo, Noah Goldstein, Arca, and Mike Dean)

The Alchemist and Oh No – Welcome to Los Santos

  • 6. "20's 50's 100's" (King Avriel featuring A$AP Ferg) (produced with Oh No)

2014

Tinashe – Aquarius

  • 10. "Indigo Child (Interlude)"

2015

Le1f – Riot Boi

  • 6. "Umami/Water" (produced with Lunice, Le1f, Aron, and Boody)
  • 3. "Grace Alek Naomi" (produced with Boody)

2016

Travis Scott – Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight

Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition

  • 9. "Pneumonia"

2017

Cashmere Cat – 9

Young Sherman – Innocence v2

  • 2. "I D C - Evian Christ Remix" (produced with Yung Sherman)

References
  1. Jack Shepherd (30 August 2015). "Evian Christ cancels Reading festival appearance after being 'trapped in a cage' at Leeds by staff". The Independent. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  2. "DJ Evian Christ not playing Reading set after being 'put in cage' at Leeds". BBC Newsbeat. 30 August 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  3. "FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  4. Hutchinson, Kate. "Evian Christ: from teacher training to Kanye West's inner circle". the Guardian. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  5. "Rising: Evian Christ". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  6. "There is an anonymous producer you actually need to hear and s/he is called Evian Christ". www.dummymag.com. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  7. ""Make the weirdest shit you can think of": Evian Christ interviewed". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  8. "My 2013: Evian Christ – June". Dazed. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  9. "RBMA alumni". Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  10. "Evian Christ confirms work on new Kanye West album, shares remix of Young Thug's 'Stoner'". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  11. "Evian Christ: Lord of the Trance". Dazed. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  12. "Danny Brown releases Evian Christ-produced single 'Pneumonia'". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  13. "WARP | News | New track 'Pneumonia' (Produced by Evian Christ)". WARP | News | New track ‘Pneumonia’ (Produced by Evian Christ). Retrieved 10 November 2016.
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