Ciel (musician)

Last updated
Ciel
Ciel - DJ set at Movement, Detroit 2019 (cropped).jpeg
Ciel performing in Detroit in 2019
Background information
Birth nameCindy Li
Born Xi'an, China
Origin Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres
LabelsParallel Minds

Cindy Li, known professionally as Ciel, is a Canadian DJ, producer, and promoter. [1] [2] [3] Based in Toronto, Ontario, Li is known for her solo and collaborative electronic EPs and for founding the label Parallel Minds. [4] Li is also known for her advocacy work for women in the electronic music scene in Toronto. Li was born in Xi'an. [5]

Contents

Career

Li studied English at Queen's University. [6] Her career started as the radio host of CFRC-FM, a station in Kingston, Ontario, where she emphasized music from women-identifying artists. There, Li developed an interest in post-punk and shoegaze music. [5] In 2015, Li developed Work in Progress, an event designed as an extension of her radio show and exclusively showcasing music by women-identifying artists. [7] Guests at the shows included D. Tiffany, Volvox, and DJBOYZCLUB. [8] The event was designed to push back against all-male DJ lineups and improve the safety of the spaces where performances take place.

Her debut EP, Electrical Encounters, was released in 2017 to positive critical reviews. [9] [10] In 2018, her mix "Radio Buttons #20" was described as one of the best of January by Pitchfork with acclaim for its atmosphere and pacing. [11] Her second EP, Hundred Flowers, was similarly acclaimed as one of the best electronic records of the year. [12] In 2020 and 2021, Li released collaborative EPs with fellow Canadian producers D. Tiffany and Dan Only as Psychedelic Budz and Cloudsteppers. [1]

Style

Her work has been described as fast-paced, with an emphasis on breaks and synths. [5] She frequently uses samples. She works broadly within the genres of New Age and trance. [1] [5]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lykke Li</span> Swedish singer (born 1986)

Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson, known as Lykke Li, is a Swedish singer, songwriter, model and actress. Her music often blends elements of indie pop, dream pop and electronic. Her debut studio album, Youth Novels, was released in 2008, and has been followed by Wounded Rhymes (2011), I Never Learn (2014), So Sad So Sexy (2018), and Eyeye (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enfants</span> 2008 single by Ricardo Villalobos

"Enfants" is a 2008 single by electronic music producer Ricardo Villalobos. Though 17 minutes in length, the A-side, "Enfants (Chants)", has been described as a "remarkably catchy, hype-inducing DJ tool" by Pitchfork Media, and as a "great tool for DJs" by electronic music magazine Resident Advisor, due to its minimal changes over the course of the entire song.

<i>Resident Advisor</i> Online music magazine and community platform

Resident Advisor is an online music magazine and community platform dedicated to showcasing electronic music, artists and events across the globe. It was established in 2001. RA's editorial team provides news, music and event reviews, as well as films, features and interviews. The website also manages services that include event listings, ticket sales, club and promoter directories, photo galleries, artist and record label profiles, DJ charts, an online community, and the RA Podcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grimes</span> Canadian musician (born 1988)

Claire Elise Boucher, known professionally as Grimes, is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her early work has been described as extending from "lo-fi R&B" to futuristic dance-pop, and has incorporated influences from electronic music, hip hop, and rock. Her lyrics often touch on science fiction and feminist themes. She has released five studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maya Jane Coles</span> British musician

Maya Jane Coles is a music producer, audio engineer and DJ based in the United Kingdom, born in London of British and Japanese descent. Under her real name, she mostly composes and plays techno music, while her alias Nocturnal Sunshine creates darker, more bass-driven productions with a heavy hip-hop and dub influence. She was previously part of an electronic dub duo called She Is Danger with Lena Cullen.

Paul Rose, usually known as Scuba, is a British electronic musician, now based in Berlin. Described as 'one of dance music's most inventive producers', he has released five albums, numerous singles and EPs, and a handful of compilation and mix albums. His style has been described as dubstep with a later 'shift toward a brighter and more eclectic approach to production'. In 2013, he won an award for Best Live Act from DJ Mag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurel Halo</span> American electronic musician

Laurel Anne Chartow, known professionally as Laurel Halo, is an American electronic musician currently based in Los Angeles, California. She released her debut album Quarantine on Hyperdub in 2012 to critical acclaim; it was named album of the year by The Wire. She followed with studio albums Chance of Rain (2013) and Dust (2017), mini-album Raw Silk Uncut Wood (2018) and the original soundtrack release of Possessed (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harlem Shake (song)</span> 2012 single by Baauer

"Harlem Shake" is a song recorded by American DJ and producer Baauer. It was released as his debut single on May 22, 2012, by Mad Decent imprint label Jeffree's. The uptempo song—variously described as trap, hip hop or bass music—incorporates a mechanical bassline, Dutch house synth riffs, a dance music drop, and samples of growling-lion sounds. It also samples Plastic Little's 2001 song "Miller Time", specifically the vocal "then do the Harlem shake", which is an allusion to the dance of the same name. Baauer added a variety of peculiar sounds to the song so that it would stand out.

<i>Galactic Melt</i> 2011 studio album by Com Truise

Galactic Melt is the debut studio album by American electronic musician Com Truise, released on June 5, 2011 by the independent record label Ghostly International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nina Kraviz</span> Russian DJ, music producer, and singer

Nina Kraviz is a Russian DJ, music producer and singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arca (musician)</span> Venezuelan musician (born 1989)

Alejandra Ghersi Rodríguez, known professionally as Arca, is a Venezuelan musician and record producer based in Barcelona, Spain. She initially began releasing music under the name of Nuuro. After attending the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Ghersi first released the EP Baron Libre (2012) under the name Arca and subsequently released the EPs Stretch 1 and Stretch 2; the latter experimented with hip hop and brought her attention from prominent music publications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Warmsley</span> Musical artist

Fred Welton Warmsley III, is an American record producer and sound artist from Sacramento, California. Initially known for his work with the New York City-based hip hop collective Pro Era, he has since been known for producing in multiple genres including breakcore, ambient and noise music, releasing eight extended plays and two long plays since 2013, including the critically acclaimed Alternate/Endings. His debut studio album under the name Dedekind Cut, although no at all related to Dedekind Music helped him capitalized his music and the entitled $uccessor, was released in November 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie (musician)</span> Scottish music producer, singer and DJ (1986–2021)

Sophie Xeon, known mononymously as Sophie, was a Scottish music producer, songwriter, and DJ. Sophie's work was known for its brash take on pop music and distinguished by experimental sound design, "sugary" synthesized textures, and incorporation of influences from underground dance styles. It would help pioneer the 2010s hyperpop microgenre.

<i>FabricLive.73</i> 2014 compilation album by Pangaea

FabricLive.73 is a DJ mix album by electronic artist Pangaea. It was released in 2014, as part of the FabricLive Mix Series.

DJ-Kicks: DJ Koze is a DJ mix album, mixed by DJ Koze. It was released on June 15, 2015 under the Studio !K7 independent record label as part of their DJ-Kicks series.

Lisa Smith, performing as Noncompliant and formerly known as DJ Shiva, is an American DJ and record producer.

J’Kerian Morgan, known professionally as Lotic, is an American electronic musician based in Berlin. Lotic rose to prominence through her involvement with the Janus Collective in the early 2010s as well as with a string of EPs released during this time. She was invited by Björk to produce two official Vulnicura remixes in 2016. Her full-length debut, Power, was released in 2018.

I. Jordan is a British electronic music producer and DJ.

Sophie Sweetland, known professionally as D. Tiffany, is a Canadian DJ and electronic musician. Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, Sweetland is known for her electronic music and for founding the underground label Planet Euphorique. She is also known for her solo and collaborative EPs and albums with artists including Roza Terenzi and Nite Fleit.

Sherelle Camille Thomas, known mononymously as Sherelle, is a British DJ and electronic musician. With a background in dancehall and rave music, Sherelle is best known for her DJ sets and mixes. Sherelle is also known for co-founding the label Hoversound with Naina and for founding Beautiful, a label and musical project for black and LGBT musicians.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ciel MUTEK Montreal". Mutek Montreal. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
  2. ↑ "biography • Ciel • Cindy Li". PartyFlock. 8 August 2021. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
  3. ↑ Ryce, Andrew (June 25, 2018). "Breaking Through: Ciel". Resident Advisor. Resident Advisor Ltd. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  4. ↑ Kent-Smith, Jasmine. "Ciel, Daniel 58 and Yohei S unveil new label, Parallel Minds". Mixmag. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Ciel • Biography". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
  6. ↑ Ritchie, Kevin (21 Oct 2015). "Discwoman touches down in Toronto". Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
  7. ↑ Edwards, Samantha (20 September 2017). "Local Hero: Cindy Li is making Toronto's electronic music scene a better place". Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 15 Jan 2021.
  8. ↑ Mitchell, Aurora (17 Feb 2016). "9 All-Female DJ Collectives You Need To Know Right Now". The Fader. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
  9. ↑ Ryce, Andrew (25 Oct 2017). "Ciel - Electrical Encounters". Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
  10. ↑ Beta, Andy. ""Elevate (Go Off Mix)"". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
  11. ↑ Sherburne, Phillip (30 January 2018). "The 11 Best DJ Mixes of January 2018". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
  12. ↑ "The Best Electronic Music of 2018". Pitchfork. 13 Dec 2018. Archived from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 15 Jan 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.