# Light Asylum

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Light_Asylum.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_Asylum
> Source revision: 1306865785
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{{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](/source/Brooklyn), [New York](/source/New_York_City), United States
| genre             = [Post-punk](/source/Post-punk), [synthpop](/source/synthpop), [darkwave](/source/darkwave)
| years_active      = 2010–present
| label             = [Mexican Summer](/source/Mexican_Summer), [Cooperative Music](/source/Cooperative_Music)
| website           = 
| current_members   = [Shannon Funchess](/source/Shannon_Funchess)
| past_members      = Bruno Coviello
}}

'''Light Asylum''' is a [Portland, Oregon](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon)-based [electronic music](/source/electronic_music) project from [Shannon Funchess](/source/Shannon_Funchess). Originally from Brooklyn, New York before moving to Portland.

Her music is heavily influenced by 1980s music and incorporates elements of [darkwave](/source/darkwave), [synthpop](/source/synthpop) and [post-punk](/source/post-punk). ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)'' compared Light Asylum to [Nine Inch Nails](/source/Nine_Inch_Nails) and [Depeche Mode](/source/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 &#124; 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](/source/Extended_play) ''In Tension'' in 2010. The four-track EP was re-released in 2011 through [indie label](/source/Independent_record_label) [Mexican Summer](/source/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](/source/Light_Asylum_(album)) was released in May 2012. It received generally positive reviews from ''[Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(website))'',<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](/source/Fact_(UK_magazine))'',<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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/The_Quietus)''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/09074-light-asylum-review |title=Reviews &#124; 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](/source/TV_on_the_Radio), [!!!](/source/!!!) and [Telepathe](/source/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](/source/The_Knife) on the track "Stay Out Here" from the band's fourth album ''[Shaking the Habitual](/source/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](/source/Light_Asylum_(album))'' (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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Light Asylum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_Asylum) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_Asylum?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.