Azmyl Yunor

Azmyl Yunor (born 1977 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) is an independent English and Malay language singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, academic and writer from Malaysia.^[1][2] He is a journalist and filmmaker by training.^[3]

His works have ranged from folk-country singer-songwriter styles to experimental guitar improvisations to punk and indie-noise rock, solo and with various bands he has founded and recorded with.^[4][5] All of his solo recordings are released on his own Rapidear label (his earlier obscure cassette home recordings are out of print) and Troubadours.^[1] A former street musician,^[3][5] he is noted for his strong songwriting and lyrics, and laidback on-stage presence yet energetic live shows. He has also composed and collaborated for film, television, theatre, dance and spoken word/poetry productions.^{[4][6][7][8][9][10]}

With the release of the country folk-flavored Tenets EP (2005 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ron Khoo) in 2005 to acclaim,^[11][12][13] he garnered wider attention of the press and established himself as one of the main movers of the burgeoning Malaysian singer-songwriter scene along with the likes of Meor Aziddin Yusof, Pete Teo, Shanon Shah and Shelley Leong. He has also recorded and released lo-fi recordings under the name Thunder Coffee Club.^[14] He was voted as one of KLue magazine's '20 Under 40 - Significant & Young Individuals or Collectives' along with the likes of Mawi, Daphne Iking, Tiara Jacquelina, and Amir Muhammad in 2006.^[15] His bi-lingual album Warga (2010 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ariff Akhir) saw him launch a self-funded 20-month tour to promote it.^[16] His latest album Wilayah(2012 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ron Khoo) was recorded with his touring band the Sigarettes.^[17]

He is a co-founder and member of the Experimental Musicians and Artists Co-operative Malaysia (Emacm) and a co-founder of Troubadours Enterprise, organisers of the annual singer-songwriter festival KL Sing Song from 2005 to 2009.^[1][4][5] He was also a guitarist for Damo Suzuki's Network in Malaysia for a performance together in 2010.^[18] A musical named after one of his popular songs "Something I Wrote" (directed by Mark Teh, produced by the Five Arts Centre) based on his life and works was staged in August 2013, during which he also launched a retrospective cd Revenge of the Rabak: Selected Works from the Lo-fi Years 1997-2005 comprising selected songs from his lo-fi cassette releases and the Tenets EP in its entirety.^[19] "The Pedra Branca EP" (2014 / produced by Ronnie Khoo, Azmyl Yunor, & Jeremy Lee), a split EP with Singaporean doom folk artist Hell Low, was released in April 2014 and they both toured Singapore and Peninsula Malaysia to promote the release.^[20]

He lectures media and film studies at Sunway University.^[16][21]

He has also performed as a duo with fellow singer-songwriter Shanon Shah.^[22]

Discography

• The Pedra Branca EP (split EP with Hell Low) (2014)
• Revenge of the Rabak: Selected Works from the Lo-fi Years 1997-2005 (2013)
• Wilayah (2012)
• H.I.D.U.P.: Hari Ini Di Ukay Perdana (2010)
• Warga (2010)
• Tenets EP (2005)
• jikalauan EP (2004)
• ends (2003)*
• The Photocopy Album (2001)*
• PRE-DUSK GLIMMER (1999)*
• FOLK (1998)*
• Watever (1997)*

Note: * cassette only releases

Filmography

• Songs From The Mekong (2012. Dir: Steve Northcott & Gary Blanton)- Actor / Composer
• Tolong! Awek Aku Pontianak (2011. Dir: James Lee)- Cameo & Film Composer
• I Want To Remember (2011. Dir: Sherman Ong) - Film Composer
• Year Without A Summer (Berkelana) (2011. Dir: Tan Chui Mui) - Film Score/ Composer
• Rojak (2009. Dir: Suleiman Brothers) - Supporting Role
• Before We Fall in Love Again (2006. Dir: James Lee) - Film Composer
• The Flowers Beneath My Skin (2006. Dir: Kit Ong) - Film Score/ Composer
• Sehingga KL Ku Menyanyi (Until My KL Sings) (2006. Dir: Mien Lor) - Supporting Role

Publication

• "Busking the Days Away" (in 'What's After SPM?', editor: Roshan Thiran. Leaderonomics Publishing, Kuala Lumpur 2011.)
• "Facing the Music: Music Subcultures amd 'Morality' in Malaysia" (in 'Media, Culture & Society in Malaysia.', editor: Yeoh Seng Guan. Taylor & Francis Routledge, London 2010.)

Television

• Kias Ramadhan (2011)
• Anak-Anak Ramadhan (2009)

Appearances

• The Maharajah Commission/Gangly Youth split 7" - The Maharajah Commission (2012)
• Rasa Sayang Jalan Sultan compilation - various artists (2012)
• On The Beat and Path compilation - various artists (2012)
• Radio Demokratika compilation - various artists (2011)
• Soal Kelentong Batu Cheng - Ladang Gempak (2006)
• Voices From Next Door compilation - various artists (2006)
• Mamak Conspiracy - Ben's Bitches (2006)
• It's Great To Have An EP... - Ciplak! (2006)
• Panic in the Peninsula compilation - various artists (2005)
• Come Together compilation - various artists (2005)
• National Disservice - Ben's Bitches (2004)
• Punkrawkoholic vol. 1 compilation (as Thunder Coffee Club) - various artists (2003)
• Dialogue Amoreaux - The Maharajah Commission (2003)
• The Experimental Musicians & Artists Co-op Malaysia SELECTED LIVE JAN-FEB 2003 (2003) - various artists (2003)

References

External links

• Official website
• "Notes From A Small Island" Poskod.my
• "Azmyl Yunor on why keeps on playing" The Malay Mail Online
• MySpace Page
• Azmyl Yunor Allmusic Guide entry
• "Songs of a nation" The Star
• Interview with Azmyl Yunor untyteld
• "Malaysia's Favourite Band-mate" Voize
• "Focus artist: Azmyl Yunor & the Sigarettes" JUICEOnline.com
• "Rocking good time" The Star
• "Folk music from Azmyl Yunor" The Star
• "Troubadour in Transit" Think Online
• "Rocking to stay true" StarMag
• "The Thinking Man" Kakiseni.com
• The Star review of Tenets EP
• Kakiseni review of Tenets EP
• Think.com review of Tenets EP
• More on sociology of Malaysian Black Metal Boing Boing entry