Derek Piotr

Piotr released the album Agora in 2011.{{Cite web|title=Derek Piotr- "Remain"|url=https://www.theneedledrop.com/articles/2011/05/derek-piotr-remain|access-date=2021-09-10|website=The Needle Drop|date=2 May 2011 |language=en-US}} In 2012 his work was nominated for Prix Ars Electronica.{{Cite web|title=The Quietus {{!}} Features {{!}} Rum Music {{!}} Experimental Sounds From Poland: A Rum Music Special|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/13587-polish-music-album-reviews|access-date=2019-01-03|website=The Quietus|date=16 October 2013 |language=en-us}}

In 2016, Piotr released the glitch album Drono.{{Cite web|date=2016-05-02|title=Derek Piotr "Sound"|url=https://xlr8r.com/mp3/derek-piotr-sound/|access-date=2021-09-10|website=XLR8R|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4150395-articulate-silences-ambient-sounds-29|title=Articulate Silences, Ambient Sounds #29|last1=Bland|first1=Benjamin|last2=September 16, 2016|website=DrownedInSound|date=16 September 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-01-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101224350/http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4150395-articulate-silences-ambient-sounds-29|archive-date=2017-01-01|url-status=live}} Forest People Pop was released in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.attnmagazine.co.uk/music/11940|title=Review: Derek Piotr – Forest People Pop |website=www.attnmagazine.co.uk|access-date=2019-01-03}}{{Citation|title=Derek Piotr - Forest People Pop|date=16 June 2017 |url=https://bleep.com//release/85896-derek-piotr-forest-people-pop|language=en|access-date=2019-01-03}}

His 2018 album Grunt was completed in collaboration with Kevin Drumm.{{Cite news|url=https://www.xlr8r.com/news/premiere-hear-a-haunting-experimental-bass-track-from-derek-piotr|title=Premiere: Hear a Haunting Experimental Bass Track From Derek Piotr|work=XLR8R|access-date=2018-10-29|language=en-us}} "Grunt" is the Polish word for "earth" or "dirt".{{Cite web|title=♫ Listen: Derek Piotr - "Earth Edit (Chaircrusher Remix)"|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/chocolate-grinder/listen-derek-piotr-earth-edit-chaircrusher-remix|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Tiny Mix Tapes|language=en}} The album received mostly positive reviews,{{Cite web|url=https://igloomag.com/reviews/derek-piotr-grunt|title=Derek Piotr :: Grunt (DPSR)|date=2018-10-26|website=Igloo Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-03}} with PopMatters describing the material as being "equipped with all of the hypnotic powers of its contemporaries"{{Cite news|url=https://www.popmatters.com/derek-piotr-grunt-review-2608483566.html|title=Derek Piotr Clears His Digital Throat|date=2018-10-29|work=PopMatters|access-date=2018-10-29|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116052931/https://www.popmatters.com/derek-piotr-grunt-review-2608483566.html|archive-date=2018-11-16|url-status=live}} and Cyclic Defrost calling it "intricately constructed and frequently jarring".{{Cite news|url=https://www.cyclicdefrost.com/2018/10/derek-piotr-grunt-dpsr/|title=Derek Piotr – Grunt (DPSR)|date=2018-10-06|work=Cyclic Defrost|access-date=2018-10-29|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006125114/https://www.cyclicdefrost.com/2018/10/derek-piotr-grunt-dpsr/|archive-date=2018-10-06|url-status=live}}

He released the remix EPs Earth Edit and Underlined in 2018,{{Cite web|title=Premiere: Derek Piotr - "Bhadrakali (The Lines Are All Dying Mix by Simon Whetham)"|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/chocolate-grinder/premiere-derek-piotr-bhadrakali-lines-are-all-dying-mix-simon-whetham|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Tiny Mix Tapes|language=en}} followed by Repeating Bloom in January 2019.{{Cite web|title=♫ Listen: Derek Piotr - "Repeating Bloom (Simon Whetham)"|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/chocolate-grinder/listen-derek-piotr-repeating-bloom-simon-whetham|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Tiny Mix Tapes|language=en}} He released the album Avia in July 2019.{{Cite web|date=2019-07-16|title=Derek Piotr – Avia (DPSR)|url=https://www.cyclicdefrost.com/2019/07/derek-piotr-avia-dpsr/|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Cyclic Defrost|language=en-US}}

At the end of 2019, Piotr began researching Appalachian folk music for a new solo album.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-10|title=Songcatching "Bolakins"|url=https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2020/09/songcatching-bolakins.html|access-date=2021-01-04|website=Appalachian History|language=en-US}} Through these folklore studies he discovered singer Lena Bare Turbyfill, whose last living daughter he tracked down and recorded in July 2020.{{Cite web|first=Luke |last=Barber|title=An Appalachian odyssey in the art of songcatching|url=https://www.averyjournal.com/news/an-appalachian-odyssey-in-the-art-of-songcatching/article_6e294537-568a-5041-8cef-aba86f209e0d.html|access-date=2021-01-04|website=The Avery Journal-Times|date=7 October 2020 |language=en}}

He released his first folk single "Invisible Map" on January 1, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://entropymag.org/derek-piotr-invisible-map-single/|access-date=2021-01-04|website=entropymag.org|title=Derek Piotr – Invisible Map (Single)}} "Invisible Map"'s B-side is a rendition of the folk tune "Barbry Allen".{{Cite web|last=Doyle|first=Liam|date=2020-12-07|title=Derek Piotr - Barbry Allen|url=https://varioussmallflames.co.uk/2020/12/07/derek-piotr-barbry-allen/|access-date=2021-01-04|website=Various Small Flames|language=en-GB}} In 2021, Piotr released Making and Then Unmaking, his tenth studio album, which was heavily influenced by his time spent in Appalachia.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-03|title=Derek Piotr {{!}} 'Making and Then Unmaking' {{!}} Interview|url=https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2021/05/derek-piotr-making-and-then-unmaking-interview.html|access-date=2021-08-25|website=It's Psychedelic Baby! Magazine|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Sloth|first=Beach|title=Derek Piotr – Making and Then Unmaking|url=https://entropymag.org/derek-piotr-making-and-then-unmaking/|access-date=2021-09-10|language=en-US}}

Piotr sang in John Read Middle School’s choir and studied music theory and music appreciation at Joel Barlow High School.{{Cite news|last=Diamond Fox|first=Sandra |date=February 23, 2018|title=Redding songwriter creates unusual sounds with his voice|work=Aspetuck News|url=https://derekpiotr.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/aspetuck-news-2018-profile.pdf|access-date=May 29, 2020}} Growing up in the woods of Redding, Connecticut, Piotr is a longtime outdoor enthusiast and draws inspiration from nature.{{Cite web|title=Derek Piotr|url=http://zapbangmagazine.com/music/interviews/derek-piotr|website=zapbangmagazine.com|access-date=2020-05-29}}{{Cite web|title='Creamy chamber music' from Redding composer|url=https://www.ctinsider.com/living/newstimes/article/Creamy-chamber-music-from-Redding-composer-13972356.php|last=Ryser|first=Rob|date=2019-06-16|website=CTInsider.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-29}}

Piotr is openly queer, stating, "I don’t want to rest on the privilege of assumption that I am a straight white male. I want to be truthful to where I’m coming from so I don’t get a free pass."{{Cite web|title=Interview: Derek Piotr|url=https://varioussmallflames.co.uk/2018/09/10/interview-derek-piotr-2/|last=Doyle|first=Liam|date=2018-09-10|website=Various Small Flames|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-29}}

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Category:1991 births

Category:Living people

Category:Polish emigrants to the United States

Category:Polish LGBTQ singers

Category:People from Redding, Connecticut

Category:Musicians from Connecticut

Category:21st-century Polish LGBTQ people

Category:Queer singers