# Photay

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American electronic musician and producer

Photay Photay at Public Records, NYC - 2026 Background information Born Evan Shornstein Genres Electronic experimental ambient house Occupations Producer drummer DJ Years active 2012–present Labels Astro Nautico Mexican Summer International Anthem Extravagant Frequencies Member of Carlos Niño & Friends Ensemble Entendu Website https://pho-tay.com/

Musical artist

**Evan Shornstein**, known as **Photay**, is an American composer, drummer, DJ, and producer from [Woodstock](/source/Woodstock%2C_New_York), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), United States.[1][2]

## Music

While a student at [Purchase College](/source/Purchase_College), Shornstein took a trip to Guinea to study drumming, where he shortly released his debut album *1st* in 2012. The influence of this exposure led to the creation of an EP, released as *Photay* in 2014 on the label Astro Nautico.[3] He released several remixes for the [Ninja Tune](/source/Ninja_Tune) label soon after.[4]

A full-length album, *Onism*, followed in 2017 on Astro Nautico. In 2020, a sophomore full-length, *Waking Hours*, arrived on the label [Mexican Summer](/source/Mexican_Summer),[5][6] and in 2022, he released *On Hold*, a record stitched together from [samples](/source/Sampling_(music)) of telephone [hold music](/source/Hold_music).[3] In 2024, Photay released a new album, *Windswept,* on Mexican Summer.[7] *Windswept* explores natural phenomena, notably "[wind](/source/Wind)".[7] Following the release of *Windswept*, its expanded album *Windswept: Expansions* was released in 2025, featuring two additional tracks "Jet Stream" and "Aeolian", and a remix of the album's track "Air Lock", titled "Air Lock (Air Tight Mix)".[8][9]

Shornstein collaborates on a musical project titled "Ensemble Entendu" with musician Sam O.B.[2]

## Discography

### As Photay

#### Albums

Title Details 1st Released: November 30, 2012 Label: Self-released Onism Featuring: Madison McFerrin Released: August 11, 2017 Label: Astro Nautico On Hold Released: March 16, 2020[note 1] Label: Mexican Summer Waking Hours Released: June 12, 2020 Label: Mexican Summer An Offering (with Carlos Niño & Friends) Featuring: Randal Fisher, Mikaela Davis, lasos Released: October 1, 2021 Label: International Anthem More Offerings (with Carlos Niño & Friends) Featuring: Randal Fisher, Laraaji, Mia Doi Todd, lasos, Club Diego Released: December 9, 2022 Label: International Anthem Windswept[7] Released: September 20, 2024 Label: Mexican Summer Windswept: Expansions Released: March 28, 2025 Label: Mexican Summer

#### EPs

- *Photay* (Astro Nautico, 2014)

- *Sadie* (Astro Nautico, 2016)

- *Onism: Remixed* (Astro Nautico, 2018)

- *Waking Hours: Remixed* (Mexican Summer, 2020)

#### Singles

- "Outré Lux (feat. Madison McFerrin)" (Astro Nautico, 2017)

- "The People" (Mexican Summer, 2020)

- "Is It Right?" (Mexican Summer, 2020)

- "Quest of the Pseudacris" (Mexican Summer, 2020)

- "Villain (feat. golda may)" (Mexican Summer, 2021)

- "Roaming" (Mexican Summer, 2021)

- "Derecho" (Mexican Summer, 2024)

- "Air Lock" (Mexican Summer, 2024)

- "Air Lock (Air Tight Mix)" (Mexican Summer, 2024)

- "Jet Stream" (Mexican Summer, 2025)

- "Aeolian" (Mexican Summer, 2025)

#### Guest appearances

- "No Sass" on *Nova - Haute musique II* (Nova Records, 2017)

- "Ode to the Pleiades (Photay Remix)" by [Clap! Clap!](/source/Clap!_Clap!) on *Black Acre: Once Around the Sun 2018* (Black Acre Records, 2018)

- "Sea Urchin" on *Atlantics X* (Astro Nautico, 2020)

- "Monday" on *Nova le grand mix 2015* (Nova Records, 2023)

- "Continuum Part 1–3" (with [Stuart Bogie](/source/Stuart_Bogie), **Photay**) & "Continuum Part 4 - The Slow Fawn Rises" (with Stuart Bogie, **Photay**) (featuring [Hannah Cohen](/source/Hannah_Cohen_(singer))) on *Slow Fawn Music No. 2* by [Sam Cohen](/source/Sam_Cohen_(musician)) (Slow Fawn Music, 2025)

- "Light Beam Extended" (with Cochemea, **Photay**) by Sam Cohen ([30th Century Records](/source/30th_Century_Records), 2025)

#### Remixes

- "Em Bora (Photay Remix)" on *Long Ways Off Remixes* by Matas (Outlier Recordings, 2014)

- "Can't Forget (Photay Remix)" on *The Meaning* by Rights (Infinite Machine, 2015)

- "Bismillah (Photay Remix)" on *Day To Day Remixes* by [Sarathy Korwar](/source/Sarathy_Korwar) ([Ninja Tune](/source/Ninja_Tune), 2016)

- "In Stone (Photay Remix)" on *In Stone Remixes* by BASECAMP ([OWSLA](/source/OWSLA), 2016)[10]

- "Season 2 Episode 3 (Photay Remix)" by [Glass Animals](/source/Glass_Animals) (Wolf Tone Limited, 2016)

- "Sorceress (Photay Remix)" by [Jordan Rakei](/source/Jordan_Rakei) (Ninja Tune, 2017)

- "Balance (Photay Equilibrium Dub Mix)" on *Positive Noise (The Remixes)* by Sam O.B. ([LuckyMe](/source/LuckyMe_(record_label)), 2017)

- "Get Lost (Photay Remix)" on *Get Lost (Remixes)* by D-Pulse ([Downtown](/source/Downtown_Records) & [Interscope Records](/source/Interscope_Records), 2017)

- "Ode to the Pleiades (Photay Remix)" by Clap! Clap! (Black Acre, 2018)

- "Ocean Flow Zither (Photay Remix)" on *Sun Transformations* by Laraaji ([All Saints Records](/source/All_Saints_Records), 2018)

- "Cham Bomb (Photay Remix)" on *Super Liminal (Remixed)* by Penya (On The Corner Records, 2018)

- "Rain Makes The River (Photay Remix)" on *Rain Makes The River (Remixes)* by [Jazzanova](/source/Jazzanova) ([Sonar Kollektiv](/source/Sonar_Kollektiv), 2019)

- "Gold Rush (Photay Remix)" by [Death Cab for Cutie](/source/Death_Cab_for_Cutie) ([Atlantic Records](/source/Atlantic_Records), 2018)

- "Falls (Photay Remix) [Radio Edit]" on *Falls Remixes* (featuring [Sasha Alex Sloan](/source/Sasha_Alex_Sloan)) by [ODESZA](/source/ODESZA) (Self-released, 2018)

- "Checkpoint Charlie (Photay Remix)" by Ghost Against Ghost (Our Silent Canvas, 2019)

- "Learn Your Lesson (Photay Remix)" on *Finding Foudations: THE REMIXES* by Madison McFerrin (Self-released, 2019)

- "The Workers of Art (Photay Remix)" on *[To Believe](/source/To_Believe) (Remixes)* by [The Cinematic Orchestra](/source/The_Cinematic_Orchestra) (Ninja Tune, 2020)

- "All the Way Round (Photay Remix)" on *All the Ways Round* by Kelpe (DRUT Recordings, 2020)

- "MMXX — XII (Photay Remix)" (featuring [Rhye](/source/Rhye)) on *MMXX (Remixes)* by [Diplo](/source/Diplo) (Higher Ground, 2021)

- "Love is Loving (Photay Remix)" (featuring [Omar](/source/Omar_Lye-Fook), XANA, Faye Houston) by Scrimshire (Self-released, 2021)

- "Blue to Red (Photay Remix)" & "Blue to Red (Photay No Drums Remix)" on *Blue to Red Remixed* by Chip Wickham (Lovemonk, 2021)

- "All That I Need (Photay Remix)", "All That I Need (Photay Lullaby Remix)" & "All That I Need (Photay Remix Radio Edit)" (featuring Sharin) on *Conclave (The Remixes)* by Conclave (Love Injection, 2021)

- "Another Like This (Photay Remix)" (featuring Yazmin Lacey) by [Steve Spacek](/source/Steve_Spacek) (Boomerang Records, 2022)

- "ZEZE (Photay Version)" (with [Msafiri Zawose](/source/Msafiri_Zawose), Penya) on *ZEZE (Remixes)* by WEMA ([!K7 Music](/source/!K7_Music), 2022)

- "P U P I L (Photay's Tributary Mix)", "E X I S T E N C E (Photay's Infinite Mix)" & "E X I S T E N C E (Photay's Infinite Mix with Club Diego)" on *More Offerings* by Photay (with Carlos Niño) (International Anthem, 2022)

- "Naturally (Photay Remix)", "Naturally (Photay Remix) - Radio Edit" & "Naturally (Photay Remix) - Radio Edit Instrumental" on *Naturally Remixes* by Turn On The Sunlight (Plant Bass & Jesse Peterson, 2023)

- "Alma Del Mundo (Photay Remix)" by Phil Moffa (Love Injection Records, 2023)

- "Help (Photay Remix)" on *Bonus Prize* by [Rozi Plain](/source/Rozi_Plain) ([Memphis Industries](/source/Memphis_Industries), 2023)

### As Ensemble Entendu

#### Albums

Title Details Selected Rhythm Works, Vol. 1 Released: November 18, 2016 Label: Astro Nautico

#### EPs

- *Music for the Densely Populated, Vol. 2* (Astro Nautico, 2019)

- *Pastoral Dark Themes, Vol. 3* (Astro Nautico, 2019)

- *Reckless Mechanical Anthems, Vol. 4* (Extravagant Frequencies, 2025)

#### Singles

- "Time Is Certainly Passing" (Astro Nautico, 2018)

- "Azalea Chuva" (Astro Nautico, 2019)

- "Big Break" (Astro Nautico, 2019)

- "Hot Heads" (Extravagant Frequencies, 2025)

#### Remixes

- "The People (Ensemble Entendu Remix)" on *Waking Hours: Remixed* by **Photay** (Mexican Summer, 2020)

### As Evan Shornstein

#### Albums

Title Details Frog Ragg (with Will Epstein) Released: April 22, 2025 Label: Extravagant Frequencies

#### EPs

- *Rafting / Tall Grass* (with Booker Stardrum) (Extravagant Frequencies, 2025)

#### Singles

- "VI" (with Will Epstein) (Extravagant Frequencies, 2025)

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** This date is from the Bandcamp release of *On Hold* and a few other platforms such as YouTube and Discogs. On the other hand, Photay has released *On Hold* in Spotify a year later on March 5, 2021. "Roaming" is labeled with the year "2021" for this reason, since it's a Spotify-exclusive single.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Review of *Onism*](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/photay-onism/), [Pitchfork Media](/source/Pitchfork_Media)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_2-1) ["15 questions | Interview | Evan Shornstein | Breaking New Grounds"](https://www.15questions.net/interview/fifteen-questions-interview-photay/page-1/). *www.15questions.net*. Retrieved 2025-08-09.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-amg_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-amg_3-1) [Photay](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/photay-mn0003343881/biography) at [Allmusic](/source/Allmusic)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Get Familiar: Photay](https://xlr8r.com/features/get-familiar-photay/). [XLR8R](/source/XLR8R), September 27, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Photay – “Villian” (Feat. golda may)](https://www.stereogum.com/2112476/photay-villian-feat-golda-may/music/). [Stereogum](/source/Stereogum), January 15, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*Waking Hours* review](https://www.popmatters.com/photay-waking-hours-review-2646170013.html), [PopMatters](/source/PopMatters), June 12, 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_7-2) Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; Hussain, Shahzaib (2024-08-14). ["Photay's 'Air Lock' Is Elemental Euphoria | News"](https://www.clashmusic.com/news/photays-air-lock-is-elemental-euphoria/). *Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews*. Retrieved 2024-09-27.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Kolik, Jonah (28 March 2025). ["OUT NOW: Photay - WIndswept: Expansions"](https://mexicansummer.com/out-now-photay-windswept-expansions/). *Mexican Summer - Independent Record Label - Brooklyn, NY*. Retrieved 12 August 2025. …Windswept: Expansions features two previously unreleased tracks, "Jet Stream" and "Aeolian" alongside Photay's own remix of his standout single, "Air Lock."

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Windswept: Expansions, by Photay"](https://photay.bandcamp.com/album/windswept-expansions). *Bandcamp*. Retrieved 23 September 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["BASECAMP - In Stone Remixes"](https://www.discogs.com/release/11379388-BASECAMP-In-Stone-Remixes). *Discogs*. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2025.

Authority control databases: Artists MusicBrainz

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