Nyles Lannon

Style

Lannon's music is a hybrid of homegrown acoustic folk, space rock and electronic aesthetics. Although he is often thrown in with the singer/songwriter camp, his music jumps around from subdued electronic pop to delicate finger picked acoustics to 'glitchy' beats and soulful rock. [sic] N.LN, however, is mostly instrumental, abstract electronica.

Musical career

At college at the University of Pennsylvania, Lannon first tasted a bit of minor success with his band Splendorbin, a post-punk "math rock" band that did well in the Philadelphia area and went on to record with Steve Albini in 1996, but broke up soon after their debut album Stealth came out. Lannon soon had another project, Reizoko, that released the vinyl-only EP T'nance and Tricky Ricky - a spacey, sprawling collection of lo-fi bedroom pop that was harbinger of things to come. During this time Lannon also played in the late Jason DiEmilio's noise band The Azusa Plane, and toured with the band. In 1999, Lannon and Jason Knight (also of the Azusa Plane) moved to San Francisco, and Lannon worked at the music site Epitonic.com for a couple years. He soon joined the SF band Film School and contributed to their debut, the LP Brilliant Career and toured with the band. In 2003, Film School did a 4-song EP, Alwaysnever, which was released by Scott Kannberg's (Pavement) label Amazing Grease. Also in 2003, Lannon completed his first album, Astronomy for Children, under the name N.LN, which was released on the label Highpoint Lowlife. The album was a collection of abstract instrumental electronic tracks, in the vein of artists like Boards of Canada and Apex Twin, and was recognized as Grooves Magazine's 'Best Album of the Year' in 2004. Also in 2004, Lannon released the album Chemical Friends, which was a bedroom indie-folk collection of songs and which also featured his voice and lyrics for the first time, earning "Best Album of the Year" from the San Francisco Bay Guardian; "Best Folktronica Artist" from SF Weekly; and generally positive reviews. In 2005, Film School released their Self-Titled album on Beggars Banquet. Lannon quit Film School in 2006, and soon began work as a session musician, and as a writer for various commercial, film, and TV productions. In 2007, Lannon released another solo album, Pressure, but this one under his full name. The album featured a more rock-oriented pop sound. He married in 2008, and his son Skye was born later that year. Lannon joined forces again with Greg Bertens of Film School and formed the band Sacred Caves, an electronic pop band, and released the Sanctuarium EP in 2012. In 2015, Lannon released another solo album, Falling Inside, again on the record label Badman Recording Company. 2016 saw him also playing with Film School again, playing some live shows and releasing the June EP.

Other projects

Lannon played guitar with the band, Film School, from 2001–2006, and joined again in 2015. They released a self-titled album in 2006 and an EP June.

Lannon has an electronic project under the name N.LN, and released Astronomy for Children on UK label, Highpoint Lowlife, in 2004. This album was well received, earning 'Best Album of the Year' from Grooves Magazine and 'Album of the Week' from the BBC.

Sacred Caves

Lannon formed the duo, Sacred Caves, with former Film School collaborator and bandmate, Greg Bertens, and released an EP in 2012 called Sanctuarium.

Discography

Discography details

1. "The Catch"
2. "Turn Time Around"
3. "Hollow Heart"
4. "My Last Breath"
5. "Fortune Cookie"
6. "Beached"
7. "Demons"
8. "Spy"
9. "The Nature of Things"
10. "Cruel"
11. "Freak You Out"

1. "This Morning"
2. "4 Little Fires"
3. "Spoke Words"
4. "I Never Heard"
5. "That Spun My Head"
6. "Left Bubbles"
7. "In Place Of..."
8. "Thoughts"