I am Robot and Proud
Encyclopedia
Shaw-Han Liem, better known by the alias I am Robot and Proud, is a Canadian
indie electronic artist from Toronto
, Ontario
. He has released albums under the labels Darla
and & Records.
, Ontario
. Liem has played with bands such as The Constantines
, Printed Circuit
, Marumari
, Ariel Pink
, and The Unicorns
. Shaw-Han has also been a member of Sea Snakes
, Jim Guthrie Band, Nathan Lawr and the Minotaurs
and Tusks.
In 2007, he participated in the global launch events for Tenori-On
, an instrument designed by Toshio Iwai
.
The live version of I am Robot and Proud includes Toronto musicians Jeremy Strachan, Robin Buckley and Mike Smith. Previous members have included Jim Guthrie, Samir Khan
, Gus Weinkauf and Simon Osbourne. 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.
Currently he is collaborating with game designer Jonathan Mak on an upcoming videogame called Sound Shapes
, for which he will serve as music composer and sound designer. He participated in a roundtable discussion on the topic of independent videogame music at the 2009 Game Developers Conference
together with the composers of independent game titles PixelJunk Eden
, Flower
and Night Game.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
indie electronic artist from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He has released albums under the labels Darla
Darla Records
Darla Records is an independent record label founded by James Agren while he was in New York. Darla Record's first release was a 7-inch by Grifters, an indie rock/lo-fi band from Memphis.- Background :...
and & Records.
History
Liem was born and raised in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Liem has played with bands such as The Constantines
The Constantines
-History:The band was formed by Steve Lambke, Bryan Webb, Doug MacGregor, and Dallas Wehrle in 1999, following the break-up of Webb and MacGregor's emotional hardcore band Shoulder...
, Printed Circuit
Printed circuit
Printed circuit may refer to:* Printed circuit board* Printed Circuit Corporation, an electronics manufacturer...
, Marumari
Marumari
For the videogame power-up, see Metroid.Marumari is Josh Presseisen, a one-man electronica band from Providence, Rhode Island, US.He has toured with such bands as I am Robot and Proud, Octopus Inc, Colongib and Stars as Eyes...
, Ariel Pink
Ariel Pink
Ariel Pink is a Los Angeles-based recording artist who is sometimes associated with the freak folk scene.-Biography:...
, and The Unicorns
The Unicorns
The Unicorns were a Lo-Fi/Indie Pop band from Montreal, Canada formed in December 2000 by Nicholas Thorburn and Alden Penner , who were later joined by Jamie Thompson in December 2003.-History:...
. Shaw-Han has also been a member of Sea Snakes
Sea Snakes
Sea Snakes were a Canadian indie rock band, formed in 2002 and disbanded in 2005. The band consisted of vocalist and guitarist Jimmy McIntyre, guitarist Kristian Galberg, bassist and saxophonist Jeremy Strachan, keyboardist Shaw-Han Liem and drummer Nathan Lawr.Strachan played in the defunct band...
, Jim Guthrie Band, Nathan Lawr and the Minotaurs
Nathan Lawr
Nathan Lawr is a Canadian singer-songwriter, currently fronting the band Minotaurs.The original drummer for Royal City, Lawr left the band in 2002 to pursue a solo career...
and Tusks.
In 2007, he participated in the global launch events for Tenori-On
Tenori-on
Tenori-on is an electronic musical instrument, designed and created by Japanese artist Toshio Iwai and Yu Nishibori of the Music and Human Interface Group, Yamaha Center for Advanced Sound Technology. It consists of a screen, held in the hands, of a sixteen by sixteen grid of LED switches, any of...
, an instrument designed by Toshio Iwai
Toshio Iwai
is a Japanese interactive media and installation artist who has also created a number of commercial video games. In addition he has worked in television, music performance, museum design and digital musical instrument design.-Education and early work:...
.
The live version of I am Robot and Proud includes Toronto musicians Jeremy Strachan, Robin Buckley and Mike Smith. Previous members have included Jim Guthrie, Samir Khan
Kepler (band)
Kepler was a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Kepler initially garnered attention for its exceptionally slow and quiet sound, reminiscent of groups such as Low, Codeine, and Bedhead.-History:...
, Gus Weinkauf and Simon Osbourne. 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.
Currently he is collaborating with game designer Jonathan Mak on an upcoming videogame called Sound Shapes
Sound Shapes
Sound Shapes is an upcoming PlayStation Vita game designed by Jonathan Mak and Shaw-Han Liem, and developed by Queasy Games in Toronto, Canada. It uses the new touch screen and back touch pad to place sounds of different musical instruments. The game is a side-scrolling platformer with a musical...
, for which he will serve as music composer and sound designer. He participated in a roundtable discussion on the topic of independent videogame music at the 2009 Game Developers Conference
Game Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking...
together with the composers of independent game titles PixelJunk Eden
PixelJunk Eden
PixelJunk Eden is a video game developed by Q-Games for the PlayStation 3. The third game in the PixelJunk series, it was released on the PlayStation Store on July 31, 2008 worldwide. A demo of the game was released on July 25, 2008...
, Flower
Flower (video game)
Flower is a PlayStation 3 video game. It was developed by Thatgamecompany, designed by Jenova Chen and Nicholas Clark, and announced at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show. Flower was released on February 12, 2009, via the PlayStation Network. The game was intended as a "spiritual successor" to Flow, a...
and Night Game.
Albums
- The Catch (2001 · Catmobile Records)
- You Make Me This Happy (2002 · Piehead Monthly Series Contribution)
- Grace Days (2003 · Catmobile Records)
- The Electricity in Your House Wants to Sing (2006 · DarlaDarla RecordsDarla Records is an independent record label founded by James Agren while he was in New York. Darla Record's first release was a 7-inch by Grifters, an indie rock/lo-fi band from Memphis.- Background :...
) - Catch/Spring Summer Autumn Winter (2007 · DarlaDarla RecordsDarla Records is an independent record label founded by James Agren while he was in New York. Darla Record's first release was a 7-inch by Grifters, an indie rock/lo-fi band from Memphis.- Background :...
) - Uphill City (2008 · DarlaDarla RecordsDarla Records is an independent record label founded by James Agren while he was in New York. Darla Record's first release was a 7-inch by Grifters, an indie rock/lo-fi band from Memphis.- Background :...
(US) / & Records (JP)) - Uphill City Remixes & Collaborations (2010 · DarlaDarla RecordsDarla Records is an independent record label founded by James Agren while he was in New York. Darla Record's first release was a 7-inch by Grifters, an indie rock/lo-fi band from Memphis.- Background :...
(US) / & Records (JP))
Singles & EPs
- Spring Summer Autumn Winter (2002 · Mira)
- Electric Avenue 6 (2003 · Duotone)
- My Sky Your Sky (2005 · Duotone)
Compilation appearances
- Little Keys on Anything For Progress (2011 · & Records)
- One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven on Songs of Seven Colors (2008 · p*dis/inpartmaint)
- Jean Meance on Habitat (2008 · Asthmatic KittyAsthmatic KittyAsthmatic Kitty is an American independent record label founded in 1999 by a community of musicians from Holland, Michigan led by musician Sufjan Stevens and his stepfather Lowell Brams. Some were Holland natives, and others had come to attend local colleges and universities...
)
Remixes & collaborations
- BaiyonBaiyonBaiyon is a Japanese multimedia artist from Kyoto, Japan.Baiyon, Real name Tomohisa Kuramitsu, has an artistic vision which links his own graphical designs and music.In 1998, Kuramitsu began painting and making music, and later founded the label....
collaboration track "Madder Red" on Vibes Against Vibes (2011 · Descanso) - Minotaurs Pink Floyd remix on The Thing Remixed' (2011 · Static Clang)
- Yomoya Kitaineiro remix on Yawn (2011 · & Records)
- Autumnleaf One Day remix on The Foot Remix EP (2011 · wood/water japan)
- PupaYukihiro TakahashiYukihiro Takahashi is a Japanese musician, who is best known as the drummer and lead vocalist of the Yellow Magic Orchestra, and as the former drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band.-Biography:...
Dreaming Pupa remix on Remix EP (2010 · EMI Japan) - Jim Guthrie All Gone alternate mix on Now More Than Ever LP (2010 · 3 Syllables)
- Yuri Miyauchi _ael remix on Toparch (2010 · Rallye Japan)
- Brian AlfredBrian AlfredBrian Alfred is a painter in Brooklyn, New York, who specialises in depictions of banal, urban spaces. Alfred is represented by Haunch of Venison New York/London/Zurich/Berlin, Studio La Citta Verona, and SCAI the Bathhouse Tokyo...
It's Already The End of The World Installation/DVD Soundtrack (2010 · Haunch of VenisonHaunch of VenisonHaunch of Venison is a commercial art gallery founded in 2002 in the West End of London. The gallery represents leading contemporary artists with branches in London, Berlin and New York.-History:...
, NYC) - Deastro Green, Grays and Nordics on Tone Adventure #3 (2009 · Ghostly International)
- no.9 Princess on Usual Revolution & Nine (2009 · Liquid Note)
- Mitsuki Aira Happiness Land on Barbie Barbie (2009 · D-topiaD-topia EntertainmentD-topia Entertainment is a Japanese record label produced by Terukado Ōnishi, officially established in public prior to December 14, 2007. The label is dedicated to promoting girls' entertainment, particularly the music of female singers...
) - Gentleman RegGentleman RegReg Vermue is a Canadian indie rock singer from Guelph, Ontario. Born in Trenton, Ontario, he records as Gentleman Reg. His musical style has been compared to Elliott Smith, Aimee Mann, The Smiths and Cat Power...
We're in a Thunderstorm on Jet Black (2009 · Arts & CraftsArts & Crafts (record label)Arts & Crafts Productions is a Toronto-based independent artist services company, offering expertise as an independent record label, management firm, merchandiser and music publisher both in Canada and internationally...
) - De De Mouse Sundown River on Sunset Girls (2008 · Avex TraxAvex Trax, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
)