I Am Robot and Proud

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I Am Robot and Proud
I am robot and proud.jpg
I Am Robot and Proud performing in February 2009.
Background information
Birth nameShaw-Han Liem
Born Toronto, Ontario, Canada
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres Indietronica
Years active2001present
LabelsCatmobile, Darla, & Records
Website www.robotandproud.com

Shaw-Han Liem, better known by alias I Am Robot and Proud, is a Canadian IDM/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 PlayStation Vita game Sound Shapes .

Contents

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 Jessica Mak on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 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 video game 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

Singles & EPs

Compilation appearances

Remixes and collaborations

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 (2 June 2011). "NGP: Introducing Sound Shapes". PlayStation.Blog.
  7. Jeriaska (2009-04-21). "Interview: I Am Robot Makes Game". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 2009-05-08. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  8. Jeriaska (2009-07-02). "An Indie Game Music Roundtable: Night, Flower, Eden and Proud". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 2009-07-04. 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.