Photay

Evan Shornstein, known as Photay, is an American composer, drummer, DJ, and producer from Woodstock, New York, United States.[1][2]

Music

While a student at Purchase College, Shornstein took a trip to Guinea to study drumming, where he shortly released his debut album 1st in 2012. The influence of this exposure led to the creation of an EP, released as Photay in 2014 on the label Astro Nautico.[3] He released several remixes for the Ninja Tune label soon after.[4]

A full-length album, Onism, followed in 2017 on Astro Nautico. In 2020, a sophomore full-length, Waking Hours, arrived on the label Mexican Summer,[5][6] and in 2022, he released On Hold, a record stitched together from samples of telephone hold music.[3] In 2024, Photay released a new album, Windswept, on Mexican Summer.[7] Windswept explores natural phenomena, notably "wind".[7] Following the release of Windswept, its expanded album Windswept: Expansions was released in 2025, featuring two additional tracks: "Jet Stream" and "Aeolian".[8]

Shornstein collaborates on a musical project titled "Ensemble Entendu" with musician Sam O.B.[2]

Discography

Albums

Title Details
1st
  • Released: November 30, 2012
  • Label: Self-released
Onism
On Hold
Waking Hours
  • Released: June 12, 2020
  • Label: Mexican Summer
An Offering (with Carlos Niño & Friends)
More Offerings (with Carlos Niño & Friends)
  • Featuring: Randal Fisher, Laraaji, Mia Doi Todd, lasos, Club Diego
  • Released: December 9, 2022
  • Label: International Anthem
Windswept[7]
  • Released: September 20, 2024
  • Label: Mexican Summer
Windswept: Expansions
  • Released: March 28, 2025
  • Label: Mexican Summer

EPs

  • Photay (Astro Nautico, 2014)
  • Sadie (Astro Nautico, 2016)
  • Onism: Remixed (Astro Nautico, 2018)
  • Waking Hours: Remixed (Mexican Summer, 2020)

Singles

  • "Outré Lux (feat. Madison McFerrin)" (Astro Nautico, 2017)
  • "The People" (Mexican Summer, 2020)
  • "Is It Right?" (Mexican Summer, 2020)
  • "Quest of the Pseudacris" (Mexican Summer, 2020)
  • "Villain (feat. golda may)" (Mexican Summer, 2021)
  • "Roaming" (Mexican Summer, 2021)
  • "Derecho" (Mexican Summer, 2024)
  • "Air Lock" (Mexican Summer, 2024)
  • "Air Lock (Air Tight Mix)" (Mexican Summer, 2024)
  • "Jet Stream" (Mexican Summer, 2025)
  • "Aeolian" (Mexican Summer, 2025)

Remixes

  • "Season 2 Episode 3 (Photay Remix)" by Glass Animals (Wolf Tone Limited, 2016)
  • "Sorceress (Photay Remix)" by Jordan Rakei (Ninja Tune, 2017)
  • "Ode to the Pleiades (Photay Remix)" by Clap! Clap! (Black Acre, 2018)
  • "Cham Bomb (Photay Remix)" on Super Liminal (Remixed) by Penya (On The Corner Records, 2018)
  • "Rain Makes The River (Photay Remix)" on Rain Makes The River (Remixes) by Jazzanova (Sonar Kollektiv, 2019)
  • "Falls (Photay Remix) [Radio Edit]" on Falls Remixes by ODESZA (Self-released, 2018)
  • "Checkpoint Charlie (Photay Remix)" by Ghost Against Ghost (Our Silent Canvas, 2019)
  • "Learn Your Lesson (Photay Remix)" on Finding Foudations: THE REMIXES by Madison McFerrin (Self-released, 2019)
  • "The Workers of Art (Photay Remix)" on To Believe (Remixes) by The Cinematic Orchestra (Ninja Tune, 2020)
  • "All the Way Round (Photay Remix)" on All the Ways Round by Kelpe (DRUT Recordings, 2020)
  • "MMXX — XII (Photay Remix)" (featuring Rhye) on MMXX (Remixes) by Diplo (Higher Ground, 2021)
  • "Love is Loving (Photay Remix)" (featuring Omar, XANA, Faye Houston) by Scrimshire (Self-released, 2021)
  • "Blue to Red (Photay Remix)" & "Blue to Red (Photay No Drums Remix)" on Blue to Red Remixed by Chip Wickham (Lovemonk, 2021)
  • "All That I Need (Photay Remix)", "All That I Need (Photay Lullaby Remix)" & "All That I Need (Photay Remix Radio Edit)" (featuring Sharin) on Conclave (The Remixes) by Conclave (Love Injection, 2021)
  • "Another Like This (Photay Remix)" (featuring Yazmin Lacey) by Steve Spacek (Boomerang Records, 2022)
  • "ZEZE (Photay Version)" (with Msafiri Zawose, Penya) on ZEZE (Remixes) by WEMA (!K7 Music, 2023)
  • "Alma Del Mundo (Photay Remix)" by Phil Moffa (Love Injection Records, 2023)
  • "Help (Photay Remix)" on Bonus Prize by Rozi Plain (Memphis Industries, 2023)

References

  1. ^ Review of Onism, Pitchfork Media
  2. ^ a b "15 questions | Interview | Evan Shornstein | Breaking New Grounds". www.15questions.net. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
  3. ^ a b Photay at Allmusic
  4. ^ Get Familiar: Photay. XLR8R, September 27, 2017.
  5. ^ Photay – “Villian” (Feat. golda may). Stereogum, January 15, 2021.
  6. ^ Waking Hours review, PopMatters, June 12, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; Hussain, Shahzaib (2024-08-14). "Photay's 'Air Lock' Is Elemental Euphoria | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 2024-09-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Kolik, Jonah (28 March 2025). "OUT NOW: Photay - WIndswept: Expansions". Mexican Summer - Independent Record Label - Brooklyn, NY. Retrieved 12 August 2025. …Windswept: Expansions features two previously unreleased tracks, "Jet Stream" and "Aeolian" alongside Photay's own remix of his standout single, "Air Lock."
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