{{Short description|American electronic music duo}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Light Asylum | image = Infest 2019 Bands Light Asylum (48611883687).jpg | landscape = yes | alias = | origin = Brooklyn, New York, United States | genre = Post-punk, synthpop, darkwave | years_active = 2010–present | label = Mexican Summer, Cooperative Music | website = | current_members = Shannon Funchess | past_members = Bruno Coviello }}
'''Light Asylum''' is a Portland, Oregon-based electronic music project from Shannon Funchess. Originally from Brooklyn, New York before moving to Portland.
Her music is heavily influenced by 1980s music and incorporates elements of darkwave, synthpop and post-punk. ''The Guardian'' compared Light Asylum to Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode.<ref>{{cite news|author=Ruth Saxelby |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/may/26/light-asylum-funchess-coviello |title=Light Asylum take synth-pop back to its industrial past | Music |publisher=The Guardian |date= 2012-05-26|accessdate=2013-05-04 |location=London}}</ref>
==History== Funchess founded Light Asylum in 2007 and asked Bruno Coviello to join as keyboard player after hearing him play guitar for a friend's project.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elgarajedefrank.es/en/interview-light-asylum/ |title=Interview: Light Asylum |publisher=El Garaje de Frank |date=2020-01-21 |accessdate=2023-05-03}}</ref>
The band released their first EP ''In Tension'' in 2010. The four-track EP was re-released in 2011 through indie label Mexican Summer.<ref>{{cite web |author=PlayGround |url=http://www.playgroundmag.net/music/seals/mexican-summer |title=Mexican Summer |work=PlayGround-Online Music Magazine |publisher=Playgroundmag.net |accessdate=2013-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705012346/http://www.playgroundmag.net/music/seals/mexican-summer |archive-date=2014-07-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Their self-titled début album was released in May 2012. It received generally positive reviews from ''Pitchfork'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16550-light-asylum-light-asylum |title=Light Asylum: Light Asylum |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2012-04-30 |accessdate=2013-05-04}}</ref> ''Fact'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.factmag.com/2012/05/15/light-asylum-light-asylum |title=Light Asylum: Light Asylum |work=FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music |publisher=Factmag.com |date=2012-05-15 |accessdate=2013-05-04}}</ref> ''Mixmag'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Worthy |first=Stephen |url=http://www.mixmag.net/words/reviews/albums/light-asylum |title=Light Asylum |work=Mixmag |date=2012-07-11 |accessdate=2013-05-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513042024/http://www.mixmag.net/words/reviews/albums/light-asylum |archivedate=2013-05-13 }}</ref> ''NME'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/light-asylum/13295 |work=NME Album Reviews |title=Light Asylum - 'Light Asylum' |publisher=Nme.Com |date=2012-06-12 |accessdate=2013-05-04}}</ref> XLR8R<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.xlr8r.com/reviews/light-asylum/light-asylum |title=Light Asylum |publisher=XLR8R |accessdate=2013-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131027085339/http://www.xlr8r.com/reviews/light-asylum/light-asylum |archive-date=2013-10-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and ''The Quietus''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/09074-light-asylum-review |title=Reviews | Light Asylum |publisher=The Quietus |date= |accessdate=2013-05-04}}</ref>
Coviello left the project in 2012 shortly after the debut LP was released to pursue other things.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elgarajedefrank.es/en/interview-light-asylum/ |title=Interview: Light Asylum |publisher=El Garaje de Frank |date=2020-01-21 |accessdate=2023-05-03}}</ref>
Funchess has provided vocals for acts such as TV on the Radio, !!! and Telepathe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Shannon+Funchess#t=Credits_Vocals&q=&p=1 |title=Shannon Funchess Discography at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date= |accessdate=2013-05-04}}</ref> Funchess also collaborated with The Knife on the track "Stay Out Here" from the band's fourth album ''Shaking the Habitual'' in 2013.
Light Asylum's song "Dark Allies" was used as the theme song of the 2019 podcast ''The Ballad of Billy Balls''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theballadofbillyballs.com/|title=The Ballad Of Billy Balls|website=The Ballad Of Billy Balls|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref>
In 2022, Light Asylum performed at the Cold Waves music festival in Chicago and played two new songs. Funchess promised "new music soon."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.synthpopfanatic.com/news/the-25-most-anticipated-synthpop-releases-of-2023/ |title=The 25 most anticipated synthpop releases of 2023 |publisher=Synthpop Fanatic |date=2023-01-10 |accessdate=2023-05-03}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''Light Asylum'' (2012)
===Extended plays=== * ''In Tension'' (2010)
===Singles=== * "Shallow Tears" (2012) * "Heart of Dust" (2012) * "A Certain Person" (2012)
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Discogs artist|2018312-Light-Asylum}}
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Category:American dark wave musical groups Category:Electronic music groups from New York (state) Category:Electronic music groups from Oregon Category:Musical groups from Brooklyn Category:Musical groups from Portland, Oregon