I, Synthesist is Chris Ianuzzi, a composer/mixer of electropop music. He's just released his second album Art of Survival on November 3rd.

His biography doesn't really give too much about his history and origin in music making, but I suppose that stuff isn't that exciting or important to people (although I like reading stuff like that).

For instance, I'm kind of curious where he's from because he doesn't sound American. Especially in the song "Paradise", where you can clearly hear his accent (he sounds like he's from Hungary or Germany?).

As his stage name suggest, his music is purely synthesized. Typically whenever I hear "synth", I always think they sound too much like new wave/80s style (which is not a bad thing), and it's a fair assumption for I, Synthesist. Besides from the synthesized music, he also seem to be a performance artist, complete with costume and that funky "sleepy hollow" glasses.

For evidence of this, check out his live performances on his youtube page.

So for the uninitiated, there are three types of synth producers: analog, digital and purely software. The types that Ianuzzi uses are both classic analog and new digital, combining the two tools.

My favorite song off Art of Survival is "Telepathy". It's quite dancy and has a great beat. Listening to it the first time, I thought he was saying "To be with me, celebrity" but I think he's really saying Telepathy since it's the title of the song.

Sunday, October 21, 2007
We Heart Music Blog, We Heart Music

Chris Ianuzzi knows what early synthpop was all about

I, Synthesist's Chris Ianuzzi knows what early synthpop was all about. It was about more than just using a new technology to make the same old boring dance albums. It was about messing with people's expectations, messing with sounds, and making an artistic statement that you could dance to, not just sacrificing integrity for the rhythm and the chance that a DJ might spin your track. Ianuzzi's new material, on the surface, invites comparisons to acts like Underworld or Urceus Exit; there's an undeniably contemporary techno vibe brought on by the minimalist yet hypnotic trance beats and synth leads on songs like "Telepathy" and title track "Art of Survival." Aesthetically, though, he owes at least as much to early pioneers like Tubeway Army, Soft Cell, and Fad Gadget. For one, there are the vocals; Ianuzzi delivers them in a half-sung, half-spoken style that's affected and off-putting, and rather than making difficult notes sound effortless, he often sounds out of breath despite not exercising much of a range. It's a brilliant move, though, if a risky one: by indulging in such obvious affectations, he offers up a vulnerability that contrasts starkly with the cold electronics, highlighting the themes of alienation on such songs as "We Don't Belong." Proving that stylized singing and dissonant dance tracks aren't his only gimmicks, Ianuzzi also offers up some moments of irony-free prettiness, as on the bittersweet "Anthems" with its bell and string-like harmonies. While I, Synthesist might be challenging to fans looking for yet another drab Depeche Mode knock-off, Ianuzzi's music is sure to appeal to more discerning synthpop fans.

Sunday, October 21, 2007
Matthew Johnson, Grave Concerns

...further reaches of electro-pop intrigue

Pushing for a more diverse palette of musical inspirations, Chris Ianuzzi's sophomore album is still wrought with dance floor-worthy synthpop songs with several moments of sonic experimentation.

Ah, the sophomore album; the album that arguably determines the trajectory of an artist's early development. It's so easy to fail at this juncture that it's often resulted in sub-par records that give birth to the now popular phrase of "sophomore slump." As if determined to avoid this label, New York musician/producer Chris Ianuzzi takes his second album as I, Synthesist to further reaches of electro-pop intrigue. Art of Survival comes after a three-year gestation period from his debut, showcasing Ianuzzi's efforts to evolve his sound from the '80s-inspired new wave synthpop of Avalanche into a coherent brand of modern electro.

Certain elements from the debut album do find their way into Art of Survival, particularly in Ianuzzi's unaffected vocals, singing with a melodic abandon that is rather commonplace in synthpop. Nevertheless, the strength of his compositions combined with his sense of songwriting makes for an enticing set of songs, beginning with the infectiously danceable title track. Waves of gritty synth ambience give way to a pumping rhythm enhanced by catchy arpeggios and Ianuzzi's impassioned delivery. "Telepathy" follows with a simplistic but instantly engaging detuned solo refrain amid a punchy dance number, while "Time Machine" slows the pace for a more mysterious and almost menacing atmosphere full of synth squelches and rocking drum patterns. The same could be said for the smarmy and electrified "Moon Song," where Ianuzzi's vocals take on an almost David Bowie-like inflection, complete with the randomized stabs of guitar-emulating synthesizers. Other tracks like "Pieces" and "Paradise" pump up the tempo for some good dance floor fodder, but the most notable song is the nearly instrumental "Blue Jets" with its abstract structure of ambient washes and reversed vocals to create a psychedelic cornucopia. This would almost be true of "The Overlook" if not for its 20-minute length, throughout which the sonic experiments are simply not enough to hold interest for the duration of the track, though credit should be given for the effort.

Where Art of Survival succeeds over its predecessor is its attempts to incorporate a more diverse palette of influences, retaining the elements of synthpop akin to acts like Gary Numan and The Human League, while pushing for a more experimental mix of styles reminiscent of Tangerine Dream. Where the album falters is that in its attempts to incorporate more daring modes, the album comes across as slightly less cohesive than the artist would probably have hoped. This is not to say that Art of Survival sounds muddled or incoherent by any stretch, but there is a feeling that Ianuzzi tried too hard to prove his mettle as an electronic musician beyond the confines of synthpop. Still, in spite of this Art of Survival is an enjoyable album that could easily stand against the big-hitters in the genre and certainly has the potential to make a splash on the dance floor if nothing else.

Friday, November 02, 2007
Ilker Yücel, Regen Magazine

Put an 'I' in front of the word and you get an artist with amazing sound!

I, Synthesist, a musical project composed and produced by Chris Ianuzzi whom takes fresh sounds from modern day electronic music and mixes it with the older sounding styles of Electronica. I, Synthesist in many cases is categorized as ‘Electropop’. The music is generally heavily layered in terms of sound while maintaining a certain sound that is very memorable.
Syn-the-sist – one who combines diverse conceptions into a coherent whole. Put an ‘I’ in front of the word and you get an artist with amazing sound! I, Synthesist released its first album in 2004. The title was ‘Avalanche which got many high rankings on radio stations, reaching the top ten on German and French alternative radio! Moving on to the next album, due for an international release date of 2007, Art of Survival is sure to surpass the first album's steam. While keeping a similar synth-pop element, A.o.S. will also mix in some more modern music styles.

On stage he collaborates with designer Anna Krych to create video projections that boost the audiences’ interest during live performances and add new dimensions to the music itself. I, Synthesist was invited to play at the 2005 Wave Gotik Treffen festival in Leipzig , Germany after a short European tour. In 2005, I, Synthesist was invited to the annual Wave Gotik Treffen festival in Leipzig, Germany right after finishing a short European tour. This November make sue to catch this great act at the Dark Star Festival in Stamford Connecticut!

November 2007
Tachykardie, Carpe Nocturne

I, Synthesist unveils new album at Dark Star Festival

New York City synthpop artist I, Synthesist will celebrate the official release of a new CD, Art of Survival, at this year's Dark Star Festival, which takes place November 2-4 in Stamford, CT, and also features performances by Iris, Reaper, Frozen Plasma, and Code 64, among others. I, Synthesist will perform on the second day of the festival. A special version of the title track from Art of Survival will be featured on the next Advanced Electronics compilation from Germany's Synthetic Symphony label. Art of Survival is available now for pre-order, and customers ordering the album in advance will receive access to an exclusive download. Visit the links for more information.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Matthew Johnson, Regen Magazine