XEN modular, granular synthesis, electric guitar and computer.

(sketch 1)

XEN modular, granular synthesis, percussion and computer.

(sketch 2)

via Utech Records:

'The Emerald' by Kevin Gan Yuen

"To celebrate Utech Records' ten-year anniversary, the label proudly presents The Emerald – the solo debut from Bay Area-based experimental artist Kevin Gan Yuen. The piece examines and documents Yuen’s foray into the potent amalgamation of analog and granular synthesis, using field recordings and electric guitar as source. The resulting influence, traverses primal territories within the artists mind, accomplishing a stunning aural embodiment of illuminating the darkened path. Mastered by Rashad Becker at D&M. Issued as an 8” lathe cut record. Promo item in an edition of 31 copies available exclusively via Utech Records.

WHILE THE PHYSICAL RECORD EXISTS COPIES WILL BE GIVEN AWAY WITH RANDOM ORDERS BEGINNING MAY 9, 2014.

Photo by Joshua Churchill.
Promotional 8" clear lathe cut record limited to 31 copies.
URLX088"

The Emerald

My remix comprised of stems provided by Clay, from tracks: 'Never Dying' and 'The Most Foolish Son Is Always The Oldest One', off the new album 'The Hierophant', the final stand alone LP from the incomparable Burial Hex. Available in LP/CD formats from Handmade Birds.


Burial Hex - 'A Dying Fool' (Wander into the Winter mix)

Premonition (2016) a film by Patricia Cram

Raw and live score by Kevin Gan Yuen // Travis Bean Standard + Reverb, Delay(s), Dist, Loop/Sampler, Field-recordings via Roland 404SX (to PA mix) + Sunn 2000S + Atlas custom 4x12 + Atlas custom 2x15 (series). 

Audio sourced from video captured by Lara Miranda on a SONY DSC-H20. Placement: mid-room

Thanks to: Patricia Cram, A.K., Lara Miranda, James Livingston/BLACK HORIZONS,  Aria Rostami, Daniel Blomquist, Ryan Page, Jen + Sean/ORRA, Lee + Brittany at Amnesia SF for facilitating and Atlas custom cabs (the series box is amazing!!!)

Premonition by Patricia Cram (live score) @Amnesia SF // Jan 24th 2016

KEVIN GAN YUEN: guitar, field-recordings (source), percussion and computer, ZOOM H4 and RECORDED 2012-2015 // ARRANGED and POST PRODUCTION 2015

« kevin@viraloptic.com « sutekhhexen.org « viraloptic.com 

« In the Shadows // Part 1 Queue: 0m - 5m
« Fear and Well-being // Part 1 Queue: 5m15s - 12m18s
« Good Bye, Vergerus Part 2 Queue: 1:25:45 - 1:32:43

"BH-97 - Frozen In Time III: Music to Accompany the Films of Ingmar Bergman 3xC40 compilation

A third edition of the compilation to enjoy in time with the given films of Ingmar Bergman. The artists involved include; Common Eider, King Eider, Jute Gyte, Victor Eremita, Æther, Kevin Gan Yuen, and Thoabath doing soundtracks / dedications to Winter Light from the first three artists, followed by Through A Glass Darkly, The Magician, and Fanny And Alexander from the last three, respectively. Each artist with a 20 minute contribution. As with the first and second editions, all submissions are bleak and dark affairs, yet with stylistic variations typical of the Black Horizons line-up. Packaged in an all clear 3-up norelco case, the large 4-panel j-card is with silver offset printing on black linen paper. Black tapes and silver labels. Edition of 200 copies." 

Available for purchase here:
http://www.black-horizons.com/bh97.html

The Magician - In the Shadows // Part 1 Queue: 0m - 5m

KEVIN GAN YUEN: guitar, field-recordings (source), percussion and computer, ZOOM H4 and RECORDED 2012-2015 // ARRANGED and POST PRODUCTION 2015

« kevin@viraloptic.com « sutekhhexen.org « viraloptic.com

« In the Shadows // Part 1 Queue: 0m - 5m
« Fear and Well-being // Part 1 Queue: 5m15s - 12m18s
« Good Bye, Vergerus Part 2 Queue: 1:25:45 - 1:32:43

"BH-97 - Frozen In Time III: Music to Accompany the Films of Ingmar Bergman 3xC40 compilation

A third edition of the compilation to enjoy in time with the given films of Ingmar Bergman. The artists involved include; Common Eider, King Eider, Jute Gyte, Victor Eremita, Æther, Kevin Gan Yuen, and Thoabath doing soundtracks / dedications to Winter Light from the first three artists, followed by Through A Glass Darkly, The Magician, and Fanny And Alexander from the last three, respectively. Each artist with a 20 minute contribution. As with the first and second editions, all submissions are bleak and dark affairs, yet with stylistic variations typical of the Black Horizons line-up. Packaged in an all clear 3-up norelco case, the large 4-panel j-card is with silver offset printing on black linen paper. Black tapes and silver labels. Edition of 200 copies."

Available for purchase here:
www.black-horizons.com/bh97.html

The Magician - Fear and Well-being // Part 1 Queue: 5m15s - 12m18s

The Magician - Good Bye, Vergerus Part 2 Queue: 1:25:45 - 1:32:43

Untampered recording with iPhone 5s. Instrumentation: drums, shell-bracelets, conch shells, and copal.

Jan 14, 2018: Ohlone Burial Mounds // Shellmound development protest at 4th Street: Berkeley, CA

Untampered recording with iPhone 5s. Instrumentation: drums, cymbals, and gongs.

Feb 17, 2018: Lion Dance (舞獅): Lunar New Year festival // Berkeley, CA

FERMENTÆ: "Allusions"

We are very proud to present this very limited series of cassettes, each with exclusive aural and visual material created by the respective artist in conjunction with Ivory Antler for Record Store Day 2012. Each cassette is hand-numbered and strictly limited to 50 copies worldwide. All tapes professionally dubbed and mastered for this unique series.

The first new music from Fermentæ, solo moniker of Sutekh Hexen's Kevin Gan Yuen, to be released in quite some time.

1. Shade of the Acolyte 
2. To Wander To Vanish 
3. A Path Less Traveled 
4. Triharmonium 
5. Incorporeal 
6. Left Pale

IA09

A Path Less Traveled (excerpt)

Aural/Visual-surrealist Kevin Gan Yuen, who is also a member of San Francisco's celebrated blackened noise group SUTEKH HEXEN, as well as OGHAM, FERMENTÆ, CIRCLE OF EYES and NVLL illuminates the underside of nature-inspired dark ambient with passages manipulating foreboding, discordant overtones.  

Culturally, the glossolalic denotes an act synonymous with the phenomenon of purportedly speaking in tongues, which, in turn, constructs a new mode of articulating thoughts by uttering words rooted in an unknown language; in this case the delivery through the electrical guitar, being his primary instrument of communication.

Disclosing sonic, yet speech-like syllables exercised in a ritualistic context, Kevin Gan Yuen inculcates an idea of language that reintroduces the threat and allure of the magical through sonic-practice.



Kevin Gan Yuen

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