Photay

Evan Shornstein, also 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. Windswept explores natural phenomena, notably "wind".

Shornstein collaborates on a musical project titled "Ensemble Entendu" with musician Sam O.B.

Discography As Photay Albums

Released: November 30, 2012 Label: Self-released

Featuring: Madison McFerrin Released: August 11, 2017 Label: Astro Nautico

Released: March 16, 2020 Label: Mexican Summer

Released: June 12, 2020 Label: Mexican Summer

Featuring: Randal Fisher, Mikaela Davis, lasos Released: October 1, 2021 Label: International Anthem

Featuring: Randal Fisher, Laraaji, Mia Doi Todd, lasos, Club Diego Released: December 9, 2022 Label: International Anthem

"Season 2 Episode 3 (Photay Remix)" by Glass Animals (Wolf Tone Limited, 2016) "Sorceress (Photay Remix)" by Jordan Rakei (Ninja Tune, 2017) "Balance (Photay Equilibrium Dub Mix)" on Positive Noise (The Remixes) by Sam O.B. (LuckyMe, 2017) "Get Lost (Photay Remix)" on Get Lost (Remixes) by D-Pulse (Downtown & Interscope Records, 2017) "Ode to the Pleiades (Photay Remix)" by Clap! Clap! (Black Acre, 2018) "Ocean Flow Zither (Photay Remix)" on Sun Transformations by Laraaji (All Saints Records, 2018) "Cham Bomb (Photay Remix)" on Super Liminal (Remixed) by Penya (On The Corner Records, 2018) "Rain Makes The River (Photay Remix)" on Rain Makes The River (Remixes) by Jazzanova (Sonar Kollektiv, 2019) "Gold Rush (Photay Remix)" by Death Cab for Cutie (Atlantic Records, 2018) "Falls (Photay Remix) [Radio Edit]" on Falls Remixes by ODESZA (Self-released, 2018) "Checkpoint Charlie (Photay Remix)" by Ghost Against Ghost (Our Silent Canvas, 2019) "Learn Your Lesson (Photay Remix)" on Finding Foudations: THE REMIXES by Madison McFerrin (Self-released, 2019) "The Workers of Art (Photay Remix)" on To Believe (Remixes) by The Cinematic Orchestra (Ninja Tune, 2020) "All the Way Round (Photay Remix)" on All the Ways Round by Kelpe (DRUT Recordings, 2020) "MMXX — XII (Photay Remix)" on MMXX (Remixes) by Diplo (Higher Ground, 2021) "Love is Loving (Photay Remix)" by Scrimshire (Self-released, 2021) "Blue to Red (Photay Remix)" & "Blue to Red (Photay No Drums Remix)" on Blue to Red Remixed by Chip Wickham (Lovemonk, 2021) "All That I Need (Photay Remix)", "All That I Need (Photay Lullaby Remix)" & "All That I Need (Photay Remix Radio Edit)" on Conclave (The Remixes) by Conclave (Love Injection, 2021) "Another Like This (Photay Remix)" by Steve Spacek (Boomerang Records, 2022) "ZEZE (Photay Version)" on ZEZE (Remixes) by WEMA (!K7 Music, 2022) "P U P I L (Photay's Tributary Mix)", "E X I S T E N C E (Photay's Infinite Mix)" & "E X I S T E N C E (Photay's Infinite Mix with Club Diego)" on More Offerings by Photay (International Anthem, 2022) "Naturally (Photay Remix)", "Naturally (Photay Remix) - Radio Edit" & "Naturally (Photay Remix) - Radio Edit Instrumental" on Naturally Remixes by Turn On The Sunlight (Plant Bass & Jesse Peterson, 2023) "Alma Del Mundo (Photay Remix)" by Phil Moffa (Love Injection Records, 2023) "Help (Photay Remix)" on Bonus Prize by Rozi Plain (Memphis Industries, 2023) "Always Open (Falle's Roots) - Photay Remix" by United Freedom Collective on Always Cosmic by Photay (Multi Culti & Copyright Control, 2026) "Loango Weaver (Photay Remix)" by Les Mamans du Congo (Shika Shika, 2026) "Indigo Dye (Photay Remix)" by Stavroz (Moodfamily, 2026)

As Ensemble Entendu Albums Title Details Selected Rhythm Works, Vol. 1 Released: November 18, 2016 Label: Astro Nautico

EPs Music for the Densely Populated, Vol. 2 (Astro Nautico, 2019) Pastoral Dark Themes, Vol. 3 (Astro Nautico, 2019) Reckless Mechanical Anthems, Vol. 4 (Extravagant Frequencies, 2025)

Singles "Time Is Certainly Passing" (Astro Nautico, 2018) "Azalea Chuva" (Astro Nautico, 2019) "Big Break" (Astro Nautico, 2019) "Hot Heads" (Extravagant Frequencies, 2025)

Remixes "The People (Ensemble Entendu Remix)" on Waking Hours: Remixed by Photay (Mexican Summer, 2020)

As Evan Shornstein Albums Title Details Frog Ragg Released: April 22, 2025 Label: Extravagant Frequencies OOPS! By: Booker Stardrum Released: June 5, 2026 Label: Sudden Quarterly

EPs Rafting / Tall Grass (Extravagant Frequencies, 2025) Might Slip (Extravagant Frequencies, 2025) Unexpected Music II by Celia Hollander (Extravagant Frequencies, 2026)

Singles "VI" (Extravagant Frequencies, 2025)