Kyle Preston
Kyle Preston (born 28 August 1984) is an American composer and sound designer. He works in the styles of ambient, cinematic, experimental and modern classical music. He composes music for short and feature films, mobile apps and video games.[1]
Kyle Preston | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Aigéin Ambient Astronaut Rubric |
| Born | August 28, 1984 Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Origin | American |
| Genres | ambient music, indie, contemporary classical music, experimental, movie score |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, sound designer |
| Website | www |
Biography
changePreston was born and raised in Seattle on 28 August 1984.[2] He has a background in astronomy and astrophysics, and his music is based on scientific realism. Among the musicians who have influenced his work are Max Richter, Ólafur Arnalds, Hildur Guðnadóttir and Jóhann Jóhannsson.[2][3]
In 2015, he created the soundtrack and sound effects for the indie game Prune. The developer of the game, Joel McDonald, decided to bring in Kyle Preston to record the music and minimalist soundtrack for the game. Preston also suggested redesigning the game to be more minimalist.[4][5][6]
He composed mainly ambient, with a calm atmosphere predominating, as well as emotional and intense moments.[7] The game won Apple's 2015 iPad Game of the Year award,[8] and Prune was also named mobile game of the year by Time magazine.[9]
On 20 May 2016, he released the album Scattered Silence. The album consists of short ambient pieces, each of which conveys the feeling of "disarray and disturbance".[10]
In 2022, composed the soundtrack for the narrative exploration game Hindsight.[11] On 23 May 2022, the new album Vistas was released, which traces the impact of personal loss in Kyle's family.[3]
Reception
changeThe American magazine The New Yorker described Kyle Preston's ambient music as "minimalist in instrumentation but maximal in tension and emotion".[12] Todd Martens, a game critic who writes for the Los Angeles Times, called his music as "otherworldly".[13]
Discography
changeAlbums
change| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Prune |
| 2016 | Scattered Silence |
| 2017 | Geo |
| Ten Cues for No One | |
| 2018 | Minimal Piano Sketches |
| Acushla | |
| Paper Piano | |
| 2019 | Ethos |
| 2020 | Like Clockwork |
| Dead Video Game | |
| Pacific Northwest | |
| 2021 | Lightless Voids |
| 2022 | Penrose Avenue |
| Vistas | |
| Hindsight | |
| 2023 | Críocha |
EPs
change| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Waltz of the Ghost Choir |
| The Tale of Lucius Livius | |
| Minimal Piano Songs | |
| 2017 | Geo |
| Sketches | |
| Waves | |
| 2018 | Beta Themes |
| 2019 | Paragon |
| Emergence | |
| 2020 | Alpha Themes |
| 2022 | Delicate Moments |
Awards and nominations
change| Year | Recipient | Award | Category | Notes | Result | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Prune | App Store Awards | Game of the Year | Shared with: Joel McDonald and others | Won | |
| 2023 | Hindsight | Apple Design Awards | Social Impact | Shared with: Team Hindsight | Finalist |
References
change- ↑ "Vistas is Kyle Preston's new album". Edgar Allan Poets. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Alex Stone (14 July 2022). "Kyle Preston releases album "Vistas"". Plastic Magazine. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mike Mineo (24 June 2022). "Kyle Preston – 'Vistas'". Obscure Sound. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ Chris Kerr (15 December 2015). "Best video game soundtracks of 2015: Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, The Witcher 3 and more". International Business Times. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ Dave Smith (28 July 2015). "How a half-fallen tree inspired the hottest iPhone game right now". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2018-06-14. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ Peter Willington (23 July 2015). "Prune - An awe-inspiring work of digital poetry". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ Christopher Huynh (11 May 2016). "Prune Original Soundtrack". VGMO. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ Jim Squires (8 June 2021). "Every Apple Game of the Year, Ever". Lifewire. Archived from the original on 2018-06-20. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ Matt Peckham (21 December 2015). "This Was the Best Video Game of 2015". Time (magazine). Archived from the original on 2018-02-26. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
- ↑ Chris Redfearn-Murray (10 July 2016). "Kyle Preston ~ Scattered Silence". A Closer Listen. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ Mikhail Madnani (5 August 2022). "'Hindsight' Mobile Review – Beautiful Grief". TouchArcade. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ↑ Marina Harss (28 February 2020). "Spring Dance Preview". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
..the ambient music of Kyle Preston, which Jamar Roberts describes as "minimalist in instrumentation but maximal in tension and emotion"
- ↑ Todd Martens (3 August 2015). "Joel McDonald's puzzle game 'Prune' has flowered quickly". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
The music, designed by Kyle Preston, is otherworldly. Melancholic electronics sound as if they're mimicking a string section. It's patient — a sound for a leisurely stroll through a museum, perhaps
Other websites
change- Official website
- Kyle Preston on Spotify