Dolans Presents look forward to welcoming home Limerick’s own Alan Keary, aka Shunya, who is set to play the Kasbah on November 6th as part of his Autumn tour.
Alan is a multi-instrumentalist and producer. One of the supremely talented Keary family, Alan has been writing and producing music from the age of fourteen.
Now based in Manchester and performing under the alias Shunya, his sound is an amalgamation of influences, ranging from his early musical background of classical violin to the sounds of Manchester's electronic music scene which compliment his highly accomplished abilities as a jazz bassist.
With influences referencing artists such as Flying Lotus, Bjork and Eric Whitacre, Shunya's name saw a rapid increase in notoriety when his single Wonder N Wane (feat Hayley Pip Williams) was picked up by Huw Stephens (BBC Radio 1) and BBC radio Manchester.
Ilovemanchester also ranked Shunya in their “top 5 local bands making it big in Manchester”.
Keary's recent single 'The Clay & The Sculpture' saw praise from Tom Robinson of BBC Radio 6 and was also remixed by Hunrosa of The Cinematic Orchestra.
His recent collaboration with DJ Yoda's & Breakfast of Champions live band has gained Shunya a notable reputation as a collaborator. With co-writing on tracks such as "Pebble Beach" going on to be play listed by BBC 6Music.
Other notable collaborations include Werkha, (Tru Thoughts, Brownswood Bubblers) & Josephine Oniyama (Rubyworks), lending arrangement and performance of strings & bass.
Live performances display varying arrangements ranging from a 5 piece band to solo. Keary features as violinist, bassist and vocalist whilst also delivering the texture and backbone using drum machines, effects and samples through Ableton.
Shunya's self-titled release also features appearances from GoGo Penguin drummer Rob Turner and session drummer Craig Hanson on the track 'The Beauty of Being the Void'. Singer Hayley Phillipa Williams features throughout the E.P and brings a haunting yet soulful feel to tracks such as 'The Elaborate Hoax', suggesting connotations reminiscent to the music of Kate Bush.
Shunya continues to collaborate with various artists and musicians with a vision to combine everything into one boiling pot, defying the notion of 'genre'.
Speaking of Shunya, Gogo Penguin said: 'We've been watching him since he first started out. His latest EP Mountain Gazer is a massive leap forward in both production and composition. Definitely one to watch out for’.
Alan Keary, aka Shunya, will play the Kasbah on November 6th. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here