Adem Ilhan (born 20 November 1977) is an English composer, producer and singer-songwriter. He has released many albums: his solo music project released under the name Adem, in the acclaimed
post-rock
Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation ...
band
Fridge, alongside
Kieran Hebden, and as part of the electronic duo
Silver Columns
Silver Columns is the collaborative effort of Johnny Lynch, aka The Pictish Trail (of the Fence Collective) and Adem Ilhan, bassist in post-rock outfit Fridge
A refrigerator, colloquially fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consist ...
with
Johnny Lynch. He has scored several feature films and television series and numerous documentaries.
Recording history
Ilhan's debut solo album, ''
Homesongs'', appeared on
Domino Records Domino Records may refer to:
* Domino Records (1916), American producer of early phonograph, from 1916 to 1917
*Domino Records (1924), American record label, from 1924 to 1933
* Domino Records (Canada), produced by the Compo Company in the 1920s a ...
in 2004. Mixed by
Kieran Hebden, the album found critical acclaim with limited commercial success. The album includes the song "Statued", which featured on the soundtrack of the film ''
Dead Man's Shoes''.
A second album, ''
Love and Other Planets'', was released on 24 April 2006 to generally favourable reviews.
In May 2008 Ilhan released a collection of cover songs called ''Takes''. The album includes tracks originally written and performed by
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo (YLT; Spanish for "I have her") is an American indie rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan (guitars, piano, vocals), Georgia Hubley (drums, piano, vocals), and James McN ...
,
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chambe ...
,
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
,
dEUS
''Deus'' (, ) is the Latin word for "god" or " deity".
Latin ''deus'' and ''dīvus'' ("divine") are in turn descended from Proto-Indo-European *'' deiwos'', "celestial" or "shining", from the same root as '' *Dyēus'', the reconstructed chief ...
, and
Bedhead
BedHead is a comedy web series created by Jon Dalgaard, Claire Phillips, Tom Keele, Reece A. Jones & Benjamin Mathews. Filmed in Sydney, Australia, the series allows the audience to hear the thoughts of two old friends, Paul and Sarah, who end u ...
, among others.
In 2008 Ilhan along with
Jeremy Warmsley &
Mystery Jets
Mystery Jets are an English indie rock band, formerly based on Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, London. The band consists of Blaine Harrison (vocals, guitar and keyboards), Jack Flanagan (bass and vocals), Kapil Trivedi (drums) and Henry Harriso ...
contributed the song "Grains of Sand" to the
Survival International
Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969, a London based charity that campaigns for the collective rights, rights of indigenous peoples, indigenous and/or tribal peoples and uncontacted peoples.
The organisation's ca ...
charity album ''
Songs for Survival
Bruce Parry Presents ''Amazon - Tribe - Songs for Survival'' is a double album released by Kensaltown Records in support of a tribal peoples charity.
Background
The album was released in support of Survival International, the human rights organi ...
''.
In 2011, Adem collaborated with folk music group
Lau to create the ''Ghosts'' EP under the name Lau vs Adem.
Since 2014, Ilhan has been performing with
Philip Selway's band and opened for Selway on his 2015 US tour.
After years of collaborations by production and session-playing, Adem released a new solo album, ''seconds are acorns'', in October 2015. The first single from it, "Snow in April", received its first radio airplay on
BBC 6 Music
BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC, specialising primarily in alternative music. BBC 6 Music was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years. It is available on ...
in August.
Ilhan has also been involved in film and television soundtracks. He was musical director and co-wrote the original tracks for the 2019 film ''
Yesterday'', and soundtracked several productions, including ''
In the Loop'' (2009) and ''
Avenue 5'' (2020) (both by
Armando Iannucci), and
David Farr's film ''
The Ones Below'' (2015).
Discography
Solo albums
*''
Homesongs'' (29 March 2004)
*''
Love and Other Planets'' (24 April 2006)
*''
Takes'' (12 May 2008)
*''seconds are acorns'' (16 October 2015)
Singles
*"These Are Your Friends" (17 May 2004) (CD/10")
*"Ringing in My Ear" (13 September 2004) (CD/7")
*"Waves" (19 June 2006) (only as a download on iTunes 'Free Single of The Week')
*"Launch Yourself" (2007) (CD/7") UK No. 157
Other work
*Ilhan contributed a cover of
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scott Moorhead, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, Buckley amassed a following in the early 1990s by ...
's "
Mojo Pin
"Mojo Pin" is the first song on Jeff Buckley's 1994 album '' Grace''. It was written by Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas, and was first introduced on his EP, '' Live at Sin-é''. Buckley stated that the song was about a dream of a black woman. Throug ...
" for the 2005 tribute album ''
Dream Brother: The Songs of Tim and Jeff Buckley''.
*Ilhan plays the bass and sings on English folk supergroup
The Memory Band's 2006 album ''Apron Strings''.
*Ilhan is the founder and organiser of the Homefires Festival, which takes place at the
Conway Hall
The Conway Hall Ethical Society, formerly the South Place Ethical Society, based in London at Conway Hall, is thought to be the oldest surviving freethought organisation in the world and is the only remaining ethical society in the United Kin ...
in London, UK.
*Ilhan remixed the track "Welcome, Ghosts" for a special edition release of
Explosions in the Sky
Explosions in the Sky is an American post-rock band from Texas. The quartet originally played under the name Breaker Morant, then changed to the current name in 1999. The band has garnered popularity beyond the post-rock scene for their elabora ...
's 2007 album ''
All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
''All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone'' is the fifth studio album from American post-rock band Explosions in the Sky. It was released February 20, 2007.
Recording
The album was recorded over the course of summer 2006. On October 19, the band announ ...
''.
*Ilhan plays on
Vashti Bunyan's 2006 album ''
Lookaftering
''Lookaftering'' is the second studio album by Vashti Bunyan. It was released via FatCat Records on October 17, 2005. It is the follow-up to 1970's '' Just Another Diamond Day''.
Reception
At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score o ...
''
*Ilhan sang a cover of Johnny Cash's "
I Walk the Line" for a 2006 Levi's "Slim Straight" Jeans commercial.
*Vocals by Ilhan are featured on two tracks from the
Emma Pollock album, ''The Law of Large Numbers''; ''Letters To Strangers'' and ''Chemistry Will Find Me''.
*Ilhan mastered the single version of "You Only Went Out to Get Drunk Last Night" by
Kid Canaveral, released in May 2010.
*Ilhan collaborated with
Lau on the EP ''Ghosts'' (credited to Lau vs Adem, 2011).
*Ilhan participated in the recording of
Philip Selway's 2014 solo album ''
Weatherhouse''.
Personal life
Ilhan grew up in London; his father had emigrated from Turkey. He attended the
Elliott School
The Elliott School of International Affairs (known as the Elliott School or ESIA) is the professional school of international relations, foreign policy, and international development of the George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. It is ...
in Putney, which had gained a reputation of nurturing talented musicians, with Ilhan being the contemporary of artists including Kieran Hebden, members of
Hot Chip and members of the Elysian Quartet, all of whom he has later collaborated with. He also attended the
University of Warwick
, mottoeng = Mind moves matter
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £7.0 million (2021)
, budget = £698.2 million (202 ...
. In December 2006 Ilhan played a free concert in Barrhead Community Library, commenting: "I love libraries.
..The existence of public libraries is one of my favourite achievements of human kind".
Ilhan is deaf in one ear.
After many years in London, he and his family now live in
Margate
Margate is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in south-east England. The town is estimated to be 1.5 miles long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay and Westbrook.
The town has been a significant m ...
.
References
External links
*
The Memory Band*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ilhan, Adem
English bass guitarists
English male guitarists
Male bass guitarists
English songwriters
English male singers
Alumni of the University of Warwick
English people of Turkish descent
Living people
1977 births
Place of birth missing (living people)
Domino Recording Company artists
British male songwriters