I Am Robot and Proud

Shaw-Han Liem, better known by the alias I Am Robot and Proud, is a Canadian indie electronic musician and video game designer from Toronto, Ontario. He has released albums under the labels Catmobile, Darla and & Records. He co-created the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita game Sound Shapes.

I Am Robot and Proud
I Am Robot and Proud performing in February 2009.
Background information
Birth name	Shaw-Han Liem
Born	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Indietronica
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Catmobile, Darla, & Records
Website	www.robotandproud.com

History

Liem was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario.[1] Classically trained as a pianist, Liem taught himself how to play guitar and began creating electronic music under the name I Am Robot and Proud in 2000 while completing a degree in computer science. He has also been a member of Sea Snakes and Tusks, and has worked with Jim Guthrie and Nathan Lawr.[2]

While Liem generally writes and records on his own, 2015's Lights and Waves is the first album conceived and recorded with Liem's live band. The recording was prompted by the composing of band-focused arrangements of his previous work.[3] The I am Robot and Proud live band consists of Toronto musicians Robin Buckley, Mike Smith and Jordan Howard.[4] Previous members have included Jim Guthrie, Samir Khan, Gus Weinkauf, Simon Osbourne and Jeremy Strachan.

In 2007, he participated in the global launch events for Tenori-On, an instrument designed by Toshio Iwai. In 2009, Liem collaborated on a performance with media artist Daito Manabe, combining Manabe's physical music visualizations with improvised composition. In 2010 he also performed a live collaboration set with Boredoms drummer Senju Muneomi and Tokyo computer-composer Yuri Miyauchi.

Liem collaborated with game designer Jonathan Mak on PlayStation 3 and PS Vita game Sound Shapes, serving as a co-designer and composer.[5][6][7] He participated in a roundtable discussion on the topic of independent videogame music at the 2009 Game Developers Conference together with the composers of independent game titles PixelJunk Eden, Flower and Night Game.[8] Sound Shapes won the 2012 Game Critics Awards for best mobile/handheld game, and was declared E3 Game of Show by 1UP.com. It also won Best Song and Best Mobile game at the Spike Video Game Awards.

Discography

Albums

• The Catch (2001 · Catmobile Records)
• You Make Me This Happy (2002 · Piehead Monthly Series Contribution)
• Grace Days (2003 · Catmobile Records)
• The Electricity in Your House Wants to Sing (2006 · Darla Records)
• Catch/Spring Summer Autumn Winter (2007 · Darla Records)
• Uphill City (2008 · Darla Records (US) / & Records (JP))
• Uphill City Remixes & Collaborations (2010 · Darla Records (US) / & Records (JP))
• Touch/Tone (2013 Darla (US) / 7e.p. (JP))
• People Music (2015 7e.p. Japan)
• Light and Waves (2015 · Darla Records)[9]
• Lucky Static (2018 · Darla Records)

Singles & EPs

• Spring Summer Autumn Winter (2002 · Mira)
• Electric Avenue 6 (2003 · Duotone)
• My Sky Your Sky (2005 · Duotone)
• Logika / Paññā (2018 · 7e.p.)

Compilation appearances

• Little Keys on Anything For Progress (2011 · & Records)
• One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven on Songs of Seven Colors (2008 · p*dis/inpartmaint)
• Jean Meance on Habitat (2008 · Asthmatic Kitty)

Remixes and collaborations

• Lasah collaboration track "WELCOME TO THE MABOROSHI CLUB" on the album Mother (2018)
• Qrion remix track "Mizu" on the album Sink (2014 Sense Label)
• Lasah collaboration track "Give Up" on the album I Love You (2014)
• Akira Kosemura remix track "虹の彼方" on 虹の彼方 single (2013 - Schole Records)
• The Girl and The Robots remix track "單人探戈" on 平行宇宙 (2012 - Asia Muse / R2G Music)
• Shintaro Aoki collaboration track "Two Pianos" on Mizukage Compilation 16 (2011 - Mizukage)
• Baiyon collaboration track "Madder Red" on Vibes Against Vibes (2011 · Descanso)
• Minotaurs Pink Floyd remix on The Thing Remixed (2011 · Static Clang)
• Yomoya Kitaineiro remix on Yawn (2011 · & Records)
• Autumnleaf One Day remix on The Foot Remix EP (2011 · wood/water Japan)
• Pupa Dreaming Pupa remix on Remix EP (2010 · EMI Japan)
• Jim Guthrie All Gone alternate mix on Now More Than Ever LP (2010 · 3 Syllables)
• Yuri Miyauchi _ael remix on Toparch (2010 · Rallye Japan)
• Brian Alfred It's Already The End of The World Installation/DVD Soundtrack (2010 · Haunch of Venison, NYC)
• Deastro Green, Grays and Nordics on Tone Adventure #3 (2009 · Ghostly International)
• no.9 Princess on Usual Revolution & Nine (2009 · Liquid Note)
• Mitsuki Aira Happiness Land on Barbie Barbie (2009 · D-topia)
• Gentleman Reg We're in a Thunderstorm on Jet Black (2009 · Arts & Crafts)
• De De Mouse Sundown River on Sunset Girls (2008 · Avex Trax)

References

1. "I am Robot and Proud, One Show Only in Busan this Week at The Basement". busanhaps.com. 2010-04-20. Archived from the original on 2011-09-11. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
2. Khanna, Vish (November 23, 2008). "Shaw-Han Liem (I Am Robot and Proud – Sea Snakes – Nathan Lawr & the Minotaurs - Jim Guthrie – Tusks)". Exclaim!. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
3. Achenar (September 17, 2015). "I Am Robot And Proud - Interview & Album". Renoise. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
4. Begrand, Adrian (September 15, 2015). "I Am Robot and Proud - "Kira Kira Zig Zag" (audio) (premiere)". PopMatters. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
5. Raymundo, Oscar (August 17, 2012). "'Sound Shapes' Creators on Making a Video Game With Beck and Deadmau5". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
6. Mak, Jonathan. "NGP: Introducing Sound Shapes". PlayStation.Blog.
7. Jeriaska (2009-04-21). "Interview: I Am Robot Makes Game". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
8. Jeriaska (2009-07-02). "An Indie Game Music Roundtable: Night, Flower, Eden and Proud". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
9. Alex Hudson (2015-09-04). "I Am Robot and Proud Returns with 'Light and Waves'". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2015-09-20.