Music Essentials: Ryan Hemsworth

Responsible for crafting melodic rhythms that cull from a mixture of chopped & screwed, R&B and alternative hip-hop, Ryan Hemsworth‘s unique delivery has seen fledgling success in the ever changing facet of electronic music. Sitting alongside the likes of Shlohmo, RL Grimes and XXYYXX, Hemsworth’s ability to render hard-hitting club tracks into poignant listening, or find a middle-ground between chart pop and abstract productions has made his music a focal point where all delectable variants find commonality. Hemsworth’s Last Word EP took the sonic airwaves last summer, followed by collaborations with indie rappers Deniro Farrar and Shady who provided suitably brooding lyrics over sets of droning beats. Elsewhere, a long list of remixes for Grimes, MainAtrrakionz, Frank Ocean, Rhye and Mikky Ekko continue to show Hemsworth’s beatnik palettes on a number of subsidiary releases, proving the last 12 months to be nothing but industrious.

With the launch of the Music Essentials we aim to uncover the obligatory on-road items, muse and necessities our favorite artists need to pursue their craft. With that in mind, we thought Ryan Hemsworth would be of perfect fit to launch the series. Not only because we share equal appetites towards music from across the spectrum, but we also knew he would hold a few gems in his Essentials that’ll catch us off-guard. We caught up with the Canadian producer and DJ in New York ahead of his Boiler Room set and got to understand why his Akai APC is just as important as the Japanese Manga comics he holds close.

Photo Credit: Verena Stefanie Grotto