Baths (musician)

Baths

Baths in concert 27 April 2014
Background information
Birth name Will Wiesenfeld
Also known as Geotic, [Post-Foetus]
Born April 16, 1989 (age 26)[1]
Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, United States
Origin Culver City, Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Futurepop, electronic, experimental, glitch, IDM, chillwave
Occupation(s) Singer, producer
Years active 2007-present
Labels Anticon
Website www.bathsmusic.com

Will Wiesenfeld (born April 16, 1989), better known by his stage name Baths, is an American electronic musician.[2] He was born in Tarzana and was raised in Woodland Hills. He currently resides in Culver City, Los Angeles, California. Southern California Public Radio described him as "LA's big new electronica musician" in 2010.[3] He is currently signed with Anticon.[4]

History

Will Wiesenfeld is a classically trained musician, and began learning the piano at the age of four "to compete with his brother".[5] By twelve he had "completely abandoned it," but continual musical experimenting led him to record his first piece of music at age fourteen. He released a few projects, including the Album The Fabric, as his previous moniker, [Post-foetus]. He also ventured into a more ambient style with side-project Geotic, a project which Irish magazine State.ie called "gorgeous".[6]

Will Wiesenfeld derives his name from his childhood memory of taking in art and music by dwelling on it in his bathtub, which he claims he was very fond of. Baths released the debut album Cerulean on Anticon in 2010.[7] He recorded the entire album in two months from his bedroom.[2] It was listed by The A.V. Club as the 21st best album of 2010.[8] It also made Pitchfork Media's "Album of the Year: Honorable Mention" list.[9]

His third album, Obsidian, was released in May 2013.[10]

On March 6, 2014, during a concert in Hong Kong, Wiesenfeld unveiled one of his latest tracks from his EP "Ocean Death", released on May 6, 2014.

Style

The BBC's Mike Diver claims Baths' nearest musical soundalike is chillwave musician Toro Y Moi.[11] Drowned in Sound noted Baths' use of "unorthodox" sounds layered in and around the electronics, in particular "clicking pens, vocal samples, rustling blankets and scissor snaps".[7] British newspaper The Guardian‍ '​s Paul Lester commented he was reminded of "J Dilla playing around with the Pavement and Prince catalogues" while listening to the album.[2] While much of his music is instrumental, it can occasionally incorporate vocals, most of them falsetto.[12]

Discography

Studio albums

Date Title Record label
July 6, 2010 Cerulean Anticon
May 31, 2011 Pop Music/False B-Sides Anticon
May 28, 2013 Obsidian[13] Anticon

Singles

Guest appearances

Productions

References

  1. ↑ "Q&A with Will Wiesenfeld of BATHS". The Blue Indian. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lester, Paul (20 December 2010). "New band of the day - No 934: Baths". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  3. ↑ Cohen, Alex (19 May 2010). "Will Wiesenfeld is Baths - LA's big new electronica musician". KPCC.
  4. ↑ Segarra, Brooke (29 May 2013). "Review: Baths - Obsidian (Anticon)". CMJ.
  5. ↑ "[post foetus]". Archived from the original on 29 January 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  6. ↑ Lacey, Adam (21 September 2010). "Baths - Cerulean - Review". State.ie. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ellison, Kyle (30 July 2010). "Baths - Cerulean". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  8. ↑ "The best music of 2010". The A.V. Club. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  9. ↑ Neyland, Nick (15 December 2010). "Albums of the Year: Honorable Mention". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 11 January 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  10. ↑ Liedel, Kevin (27 May 2013). "Baths: Obsidian - Music Review". Slant Magazine.
  11. ↑ "Reviews: Baths - Cerulean". BBC. 3 August 2010. Archived from the original on 13 February 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  12. ↑ McGhee, B (2010). "Baths - Cerulean". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  13. ↑ Minsker, Evan (6 March 2013). "Baths Announces New Album Obsidian, Shares Track "Miasma Sky", Tours With the Postal Service". Pitchfork Media.

External links