Alex Somers
Ambient · IS · Active since 1984

Alex Somers

Fragile, tape-saturated soundscapes that feel like rediscovered memories. Ethereal ambient music for quiet reflection and deep focus.

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Intro

Alex Somers creates music that sounds like it was found in a dusty attic, recorded on magnetic tape that has begun to beautifully degrade. His sound is a delicate intersection of modern classical elegance and experimental ambient texture, often utilizing 'found sounds' and unconventional instruments like bowed glockenspiels or toy pianos. It carries a distinct sense of wonder and fragility, as if the melodies might evaporate if you listen too closely.

What sets Somers apart is his mastery of atmosphere. Having spent a decade in Iceland and collaborated extensively with Sigur Rós, he brings a specific North Atlantic chill to his work, balanced by a deep, analog warmth. His production is characterized by heavy reverb and saturation, creating a 'submerged' quality where orchestral elements and electronic glitches bleed into one another until they are indistinguishable.

For those new to his solo work, 'Siblings' is an essential starting point, showcasing his ability to build complex emotional worlds from simple, repetitive motifs. If you are looking for something more cinematic, his score for 'Honey Boy' or 'Captain Fantastic' demonstrates how he can anchor a narrative with purely textural, evocative soundscapes.

Alex Somers (born March 7, 1984) is an American visual artist and musician from Baltimore, Maryland, who attended Berklee College of Music and Listaháskóli Íslands. Somers lives and works in Los Angeles. Previously he ran a recording studio in downtown Reykjavík where he produced, engineered, and mixed since 2010. He and his former partner Jónsi, with whom he split in 2019, produce music and visual art under the name Jónsi & Alex. The pair have released an album and a picture book, both titled Riceboy Sleeps. Jónsi and Somers have also collaborated on Jónsi's solo project. Somers co-produced and played instruments on Jónsi's album Go. He then joined Jónsi in his five-piece live band, playing guitar and keyboards for the world tour in support of Go. Somers has produced and mixed a large number of records, including those of Sigur Rós, Jónsi, Julianna Barwick, Briana Marela, Death Vessel, Sin Fang, and Pascal Pinon. Somers has been vegan since 2004, and a raw vegan since 2007.
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Our Catalog3 Albums · 2018 · 2021
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