Evan Peter Mast, also known by his stage name E*vax or E.VAX, is an American electronic music artist[1] and record producer. He is one-half of the New York–based electronic rock band Ratatat, alongside Mike Stroud.

E.VAX
Birth nameEvan Mast
OriginCleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • record producer
  • songwriter
  • DJ
Years active2001–present
Labels
Member ofRatatat

Career

edit

Mast met his Ratatat bandmate Mike Stroud when they were both students at Skidmore College.[2] They released their self-titled debut album in 2004, followed by four more studio albums.[3]

Mast has released 7-inch singles on Static Caravan Recordings and Mold Recordings, along with an EP in collaboration with musician Craig Wedren, most known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band Shudder to Think. Mast also recorded a track titled "The Mule" for the TV show Silicon Valley.[4]

Mast has written and produced hip hop music as E*vax. His first credit was the track "Look Alive" performed by rapper Despot featuring Mast’s own band Ratatat from the record label Definitive Jux compilation album Definitive Jux Presents IV, released in 2009.[5] Some years later he produced a track titled "$100 Bill" performed by rapper Jay-Z, which is the opening track from Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film The Great Gatsby released in 2013. Once again, he collaborated with Despot in 2015, producing the track "House of Bricks", the lead single from the rapper’s debut studio album We’re All Excited. In 2018, Mast worked together with rapper-producer Kanye West on the so called Wyoming Sessions, which led him to write and produce in the Kids See Ghosts's self-titled debut studio album tracks "Feel the Love", "Fire" and "Reborn"; as well as the Nas track "Adam and Eve" from the rapper's twelfth studio album Nasir, and also a track from Teyana Taylor's second studio album K.T.S.E. titled "Rose in Harlem". The next year he co-produced "Selah", the second track from Kanye West's ninth studio album Jesus Is King, while he once again collaborated with Teyana Taylor, producing her single "We Got Love" from her third studio album The Album, released in 2020.

As E.VAX, he released a self-titled album on September 17, 2021.[6] It was announced in June 2021. He released two singles from the album, "Rabindra" and "Karst".[7][8]

Other ventures

edit

E*vax and his brother E*rock operate their independent record label Audio Dregs. His first album, Parking Lot Music, was released on 4 April 2001. Mast's music uses everyday sounds to create simple electronic beats.

Discography

edit

Studio albums

edit
Album Date Label
Parking Lot Music 2001 Audio Dregs
E.VAX 2021 Because Music

Extended plays

edit
EP Date Label
Glacial Sports 1998 Audio Dregs
Foiled 2000 Static Caravan
Cross Country Ski/Clear Red Water 2000 Static Caravan
B. Fleischmann/E*Vax Split 2000 Audio Dregs
Zealectronic Beige 2003 Zealectronic
Day Ditty (with Craig Wedren) 2007 Mold Recordings

Production and songwriting credits

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Kristel, Todd. "Parking Lot Music: Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  2. ^ Borowitz, Kate (8 April 2009). "Fifteen Questions with Evan Mast from Ratatat". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  3. ^ Leckart, Steven (25 August 2006). "Have laptop will travel". Today. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  4. ^ Ham, Robert (20 October 2017). "How TV Became Ground Zero for the Best New Music". Paste. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Ratatat". Oklahoma Magazine. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  6. ^ Middleton, Ryan (17 September 2021). "ALBUM REVIEW: E.VAX - E.VAX". Magnetic Magazine. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  7. ^ Middleton, Ryan (17 June 2021). "RATATAT'S EVAN MAST RELEASING SELF-TITLED ALBUM AS E.VAX". Magnetic Magazine.
  8. ^ Bloom, Madison (17 June 2021). "Ratatat's E.VAX Announces New Album, Shares Video for New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
edit