Photay


Evan Shornstein, known as Photay, is an American composer, drummer, DJ, and producer from Woodstock, New York, United States.

Music

While a student at 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. He released several remixes for the Ninja Tune label soon after.
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, and in 2022, he released On Hold, a record stitched together from samples of telephone hold music. In 2024, Photay released a new album, Windswept, on Mexican Summer. Windswept explores natural phenomena, notably "wind". 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 ".
Shornstein collaborates on a musical project titled "Ensemble Entendu" with musician Sam O.B.

Discography

As Photay

Albums

EPs

  • Photay
  • Sadie
  • Onism: Remixed
  • ''Waking Hours: Remixed''

    Singles

  • "Outré Lux "
  • "The People"
  • "Is It Right?"
  • "Quest of the Pseudacris"
  • "Villain "
  • "Roaming"
  • "Derecho"
  • "Air Lock"
  • "Air Lock "
  • "Jet Stream"
  • "Aeolian"

    Guest appearances

  • "No Sass" on Nova - Haute musique II
  • "Ode to the Pleiades " by Clap! Clap! on Black Acre: Once Around the Sun 2018
  • "Sea Urchin" on Atlantics X
  • "Monday" on Nova le grand mix 2015
  • "Continuum Part 1–3" & "Continuum Part 4 - The Slow Fawn Rises" on Slow Fawn Music No. 2 by Sam Cohen
  • "Light Beam Extended" by Sam Cohen

    Remixes

  • "Em Bora " on Long Ways Off Remixes by Matas
  • "Can't Forget " on The Meaning by Rights
  • "Bismillah " on Day To Day Remixes by Sarathy Korwar
  • "In Stone " on In Stone Remixes by BASECAMP
  • "Season 2 Episode 3 " by Glass Animals
  • "Sorceress " by Jordan Rakei
  • "Balance " on Positive Noise by Sam O.B.
  • "Get Lost " on Get Lost by D-Pulse
  • "Ode to the Pleiades " by Clap! Clap!
  • "Ocean Flow Zither " on Sun Transformations by Laraaji
  • "Cham Bomb " on Super Liminal by Penya
  • "Rain Makes The River " on Rain Makes The River by Jazzanova
  • "Gold Rush " by Death Cab for Cutie
  • "Falls " on Falls Remixes by ODESZA
  • "Checkpoint Charlie " by Ghost Against Ghost
  • "Learn Your Lesson " on Finding Foudations: THE REMIXES by Madison McFerrin
  • "The Workers of Art " on To Believe by The Cinematic Orchestra
  • "All the Way Round " on All the Ways Round by Kelpe
  • "MMXX — XII " on MMXX by Diplo
  • "Love is Loving " by Scrimshire
  • "Blue to Red " & "Blue to Red " on Blue to Red Remixed by Chip Wickham
  • "All That I Need ", "All That I Need " & "All That I Need " on Conclave by Conclave
  • "Another Like This " by Steve Spacek
  • "ZEZE " on ZEZE by WEMA
  • "P U P I L ", "E X I S T E N C E " & "E X I S T E N C E " on More Offerings by Photay
  • "Naturally ", "Naturally - Radio Edit" & "Naturally - Radio Edit Instrumental" on Naturally Remixes by Turn On The Sunlight
  • "Alma Del Mundo " by Phil Moffa
  • "Help " on Bonus Prize by Rozi Plain

    As Ensemble Entendu

Albums

EPs

  • Music for the Densely Populated, Vol. 2
  • Pastoral Dark Themes, Vol. 3
  • ''Reckless Mechanical Anthems, Vol. 4''

    Singles

  • "Time Is Certainly Passing"
  • "Azalea Chuva"
  • "Big Break"
  • "Hot Heads"

    Remixes

  • "The People " on Waking Hours: Remixed by '''Photay'''

    As Evan Shornstein

Albums

EPs

  • ''Rafting / Tall Grass''

    Singles

  • "VI"