L.A.-based producer Nosaj Thing (Jason Chung) is a sound innovator. He’s a sweet kid with a sinister musical agenda. His electronic soundscapes and wild beat tectonics play like vignettes that affect the listener’s mind as deeply as he hits their soul. Without a doubt, Nosaj Thing is among L.A.’s finest musical modulators.
Jason’s early work came awkwardly but not at all haphazardly. At age 13, he took his first computer from his father, an archaic PC that struggled even with word documents. In the hands of Nosaj Thing, it became an Intel Celeron home studio. With a “donated” copy of Reason, a demo version of Ableton Live and a computer mouse (he couldn’t afford a MIDI controller), Nosaj Thing began making music. He built his first productions note for note on the electronic staff of his Frankenstein studio. When your focus is strong, all you really need is a machine that works.
In high school, Jason picked up a day job at a local music store, focusing his efforts on the arduous task of saving up for his first Mac. But Destiny had become fond of Nosaj Thing’s resolve. In a contest, Jason won a favored producer tool: his own honest copy of Logic Pro. Wild circumstances? Perhaps. But he’s still using it, winning beat battles, remix contests, gigging and DJing within his network of like-minded musical vigilantes. Now 22, Nosaj Thing creates nothing less than the sound mastery of beat driven, experimental electronics from a gifted noise constructor.
Nosaj Thing has received Artist-to-Watch accolades from XLR8R, remixed Daedelus and Elliot Lipp, won Plastic Little/Turntable Lab’s remix contest featuring MF Doom, and won L.A.’s prestigious Project Blowed beat battle. He has shared the stage with the likes of Sixtoo, Architecture in Helsinki, DJ Krush, Z-Trip, Free the Robots, Eliott Lipp, D-Styles, Edit, and Daedelus. He’s a staple and a crowd pleaser at L.A.’s underground hip-hop good time, Low End Theory. Comparisons run along with Ratatat, DJ Shadow, and Boards of Canada. A survey of his own record collection will turn up pieces from Aphex Twin, Stereolab, Radiohead, Daft Punk and Eric Satie. In so little time, he’s accomplished so much. With his first full-length in the works, be prepared to hear a lot more noise from Nosaj Thing. 1685 will be on the Stussy X Turntable Lab Beats Compilation (gaslamp killer, lukid, free the robots, flying lotus, strategy, climber)
Nosaj Thing - Coat of Arms
