Nosaj Thing

Jason W. Chung, known professionally as Nosaj Thing, is an American artist, record producer, and DJ. Born in Los Angeles, California.{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/music/nosaj-thing-is-back-2612834|title=Nosaj Thing Is Back|work=LA Weekly|first=Jeff|last=Weiss|date=February 7, 2013|access-date=October 22, 2018}} He is of Korean descent{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/music/after-losing-his-gear-and-beats-to-thieves-nosaj-thing-tries-to-move-on-5565081|title=After Losing His Gear and Beats to Thieves, Nosaj Thing Tries to Move On|work=LA Weekly|first=Peter|last=Holslin|date=May 12, 2015|access-date=October 21, 2018}} and began making music using computers and synthesizers at the age of 12.

Chung emerged from the vibrant DIY culture of downtown Los Angeles, particularly the experimental venue The Smell, developing a reputation for blending intricate soundscapes with emotive, crisp production. He self-released the debut EP, Views/Octopus, in 2006. His first studio album, Drift, was released on Alpha Pup Records in 2009, followed by a remix version, Drift Remixed, in 2010, curated by Chung and featuring contributions from artists such as Jamie xx and Jon Hopkins.

In 2012, he released a single, "Eclipse/Blue", which featured vocalist Kazu Makino. His second studio album, Home, was released in 2013. His third studio album, Fated, was released in 2015. In 2016, he released an EP, No Reality. His fourth studio album, Parallels, was released in 2017. His fifth studio album, Continua, was released in 2022.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/nosaj-thing-continua/|title=Nosaj Thing: Continua Album Review|work=Pitchfork|first=Shy|last=Thompson|date=October 31, 2022|access-date=April 1, 2025}}

In 2013, Chung founded the independent label Timetable Records, which serves as a platform for forward-thinking music and multimedia projects. The label has released work by a variety of artists including Whoarei and Nosaj Thing himself.

Nosaj Thing has collaborated with artists across genres and generations, including Kendrick Lamar, and has produced official remixes for artists such as Flying Lotus and Philip Glass. His creative output also extends to film scores, fashion presentations, and art installations, including multimedia collaborations with Tokyo-based audiovisual artist Daito Manabe.

Recent collaborators include Hyukoh, Toro y Moi, Kazu Makino, Panda Bear, Pink Siifu, and Jacques Greene. In 2023, Chung and Greene released the collaborative single "Too Close," featuring Canadian singer Ouri. This was followed by "RB3" in 2024, marking the second release in their ongoing collaborative project. The duo is currently working on a new dance-oriented project, slated for release in fall 2025.

His earliest performances were at Los Angeles' DIY avant-garde music venue The Smell and experimental hip hop club night Low End Theory where he became part of a community of beat makers including Samiyam and Flying Lotus.{{Cite web |title=Nosaj Thing |work=loop.ableton.com |date=2017 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://loop.ableton.com/2017/participants/nosaj-thing/ |quote=Low End Theory club }} He went on to self-release the debut EP, Views/Octopus, in 2006 featuring beats made throughout this early period.{{cite web|url=http://www.citypaper.com/music/story.asp?id=19773|title=A Smell of His Own:Nosaj Thing finds his place in the new IDM|work=Baltimore City Paper|first=Michaelangelo|last=Matos|date=February 17, 2010|access-date=July 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603130108/http://www.citypaper.com/music/story.asp?id=19773|archive-date=June 3, 2012}}

His first studio album, Drift, was released on Alpha Pup Records in 2009.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13251-drift/|title=Nosaj Thing: Drift|work=Pitchfork|first=Jayson|last=Greene|date=July 8, 2009|access-date=October 21, 2018}} A remix version of the album, titled Drift Remixed, was released in 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/reviews/8222|title=Nosaj Thing – Drift Remixed|work=Resident Advisor|first=Andrew|last=Ryce|date=November 3, 2010|access-date=October 21, 2018}}

Between 2012 and 2017, Thing released a further three full-length studio albums, an EP, and a single. In 2013, he founded the record label Timetable Records, featuring artists such as D Tiberio, Holodec, Gerry Read, Whoarei, 4THSEX, and Daito Manabe on the roster.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/09/10/nosaj-thing-timetable-label|title=Nosaj Thing Launches Label Timetable|work=The Fader|date=September 10, 2015|access-date=April 1, 2025}}

In 2020, Thing announced he had signed to LuckyMe Records, releasing the EP No Mind{{cite web|url=https://luckyme.net/releases/no-mind|title=Nosaj Thing – No Mind|work=LuckyMe|access-date=April 1, 2025}} and the single "For The Light" with an accompanying music video.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzKpWk8eBRg|title=Nosaj Thing - For The Light (Official Video)|work=YouTube|date=May 6, 2020|access-date=April 1, 2025}}

In 2022, he released his fifth studio album Continua, featuring collaborations with Hyukoh, Toro y Moi, Kazu Makino, Serpentwithfeet, Sam Gendel, Coby Sey, Julianna Barwick, Mike Andrews, Slauson Malone, Pink Siifu, Panda Bear, and Eyedress.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/nosaj-thing-continua/|title=Nosaj Thing: Continua Album Review|work=Pitchfork|first=Shy|last=Thompson|date=October 31, 2022|access-date=April 1, 2025}}

Between 2023 and 2024, he began a collaborative dance-focused project with Jacques Greene. Their first single, "Too Close", featuring Canadian singer Ouri, was released in 2023,{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2023/08/23/song-you-need-nosaj-thing-and-jacques-greenes-moody-collaboration|title=Song You Need: Nosaj Thing and Jacques Greene’s moody collaboration|work=The FADER|date=August 23, 2023}}

Throughout 2009 and 2010 he toured a live audiovisual show, featuring large scale video projections of live manipulated graphics, with showcase performances at Sónar Festival, Pop Montreal and São Paulo Museum of Image and Sound.{{Cite web |title=Nosaj Thing brings new visual show to L.A. Be sitting down for this. |author=August Brown |work=latimesblogs.latimes.com |date=December 11, 2009 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/12/nosaj-thing-debuts-new-visual-show.html |quote=Pop Montreal }}{{Cite web |title=Nosaj Thing Launches his AV Spectacular |work=Dazed |author=Terence Teh |date=October 18, 2010 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/8794/1/nosaj-thing-launches-his-av-spectacular |quote=Museum of Image and Sound in Brasil }}

In 2016 Thing collaborated with Japanese artist Daito Manabe to create a touring show featuring real-time augmented reality visuals using multiple Kinect cameras on stage.{{Cite web |title=The Evolution of Sound and Visual With Nosaj Thing & Daito Manabe |author=Davis Huynh |work=HYPEBEAST |date=June 14, 2016 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://hypebeast.com/2018/6/exploring-sound-design-through-visuals-with-nosaj-thing-daito-manabe |quote=Kinect }} The debut performance at Coachella Festival was described by Pitchfork Magazine as "runaway winner for best visual production"{{Cite web |title=Coachella 2016: Winners and Losers {{!}} Pitchfork |author=Paul A. Thompson |work=pitchfork.com |date=April 18, 2016 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://pitchfork.com/features/festival-report/9874-coachella-2016-winners-and-losers/ |quote=runaway winner for best visual production }} and was billed by Sónar Festival as "extremely captivating, technologically advanced, show of inordinate beauty".{{Cite web |title=Nosaj Thing + Daito Manabe - Sónar Barlcelona 2017 |work=Sónar Barcelona |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://sonar.es/en/2017/artists/nosaj-thing-daito-manabe |quote=extremely captivating, technologically advanced, show of inordinate beauty }}

• Drift (2009)
• Home (2013){{cite web|url=https://www.xlr8r.com/news/nosaj-thing-announces-long-awaited-second-lp-streams-first-single|title=Nosaj Thing Announces Long-Awaited Second LP, Streams First Single|work=XLR8R|first=Patric|last=Fallon|date=September 20, 2012|access-date=October 21, 2018}}
• Fated (2015){{cite web|url=https://www.xlr8r.com/news/nosaj-thing-details-new-lp-hear-a-track-now|title=Nosaj Thing Details New LP; Hear a Track Now|work=XLR8R|first=Chris|last=Kokiousis|date=March 4, 2015|access-date=October 21, 2018}}
• Parallels (2017){{cite web|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/news/39262|title=Nosaj Thing announces fourth album, Parallels|work=Resident Advisor|first=Andrew|last=Ryce|date=June 15, 2017|access-date=October 21, 2018}}
• Continua (2022)

• Drift Remixed (2010)

• Views/Octopus (2006)
• No Reality (2016){{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/64483-nosaj-thing-announces-new-ep-no-reality-shares-n-r-2-listen/|title=Nosaj Thing Announces New EP NO REALITY, Shares "N R 2": Listen|work=Pitchfork|first=Jazz|last=Monroe|date=March 30, 2016|access-date=October 21, 2018}}
• No Mind (2020){{Cite web|title=Nosaj Thing Releases New EP 'No Thing' - Magnetic Magazine|url=https://www.magneticmag.com/2020/10/nosaj-thing-new-ep-no-thing/|access-date=October 22, 2020|website=www.magneticmag.com}}

• "Night Crawler" (2010){{Cite web |title=LA Collection Exclusives: Rainbow Arabia & Nosaj Thing |author=Rachel Reynolds |work=KCRW |date=April 12, 2010 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://www.kcrw.com/music/articles/la-collection-exclusives-rainbow-arabia-nosaj-thing}}
• "Eclipse/Blue" featuring Kazu Makino (2012){{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/14282-nosaj-thing-eclipseblue-ft-kazu-makino/|title=Nosaj Thing: "Eclipse/Blue" (ft. Kazu Makino)|work=Pitchfork|first=Larry|last=Fitzmaurice|date=September 20, 2012|access-date=October 21, 2018}}
• "For the Light" (2020){{Cite web |title=Nosaj Thing releases new single on LuckyMe |work=theransomnote.com |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://www.theransomnote.com/music/news/nosaj-thing-releases-new-single-on-luckyme/}}

• Kid Cudi – "Man on the Moon (The Anthem)" from A Kid Named Cudi (2008) and Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009){{Cite web |title=Indie-Cud: A Timeline Of Kid Cudi's Indie Collabs & Samples |author=Patrick Lyons |work=HotNewHipHop |date=March 4, 2015 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/indie-cud-a-timeline-of-kid-cudi-s-indie-collabs-and-samples-news.14220.html}}{{Cite web |title=Kid Cudi - A Kid Named Cudi |work=Discogs |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://www.discogs.com/Kid-Cudi-A-Kid-Named-Cudi/release/6588555}}
• Busdriver – "Split Seconds (Between Nannies and Swamis)" from Jhelli Beam (2009){{cite web|url=https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/6wqngx/nosaj-thing-fated-interview-profile-2015|title=The Life of a Nosaj Thing: "It's Like a One-Hour High, Then 23 Hours of Discomfort"|work=Noisey|first=Paul|last=Thompson|date=May 13, 2015|access-date=October 22, 2018}}
• Kendrick Lamar – "Cloud 10" (2011)
• Chance the Rapper – "Paranoia" from Acid Rap (2013)
• Toro y Moi – "Enough of You" (2015)
• KUČKA – "Real" from Wrestling (2019){{Cite web |title=KUČKA shares shimmering new single, 'Real' |author=Krystal Rodriguez |work=Fact Magazine |date=November 20, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://www.factmag.com/2019/11/20/kucka-real/}}
• Park Hye Jin – "Clouds" (2020){{Cite web |title=Park Hye Jin and Nosaj Thing join forces on new single, Clouds · News ⟋ RA |author=Nyshka Chandran |work=Resident Advisor |date=December 9, 2020 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://ra.co/news/74121}}
• Kid Cudi – "Another Day" from Man on the Moon III: The Chosen (2020){{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/165856837/credits|title=Credits / Man on the Moon III: The Chosen / Kid Cudi|publisher=Tidal|access-date=December 13, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/kid-cudi-releases-new-album-man-on-the-moon-iii-listen-and-read-the-full-credits/|title=Kid Cudi Releases New Album Man on the Moon III: Listen and Read the Full Credits|work=Pitchfork|last=Minsker|first=Evan|date=December 11, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2020}}
• Jamie Isaac – 3 (2020){{Cite web |title=Jamie Isaac & Nosaj Thing - 3 [Stream] — The Pit London |author=Luciano Belete |work=The Pit London |date=February 11, 2020 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://www.thepitldn.com/pitnews/jamie-isaac-and-nosaj-things-collaborative-project-3-will-create-a-spark-in-your-soul}}
• Julianna Barwick – "Nod" from Healing Is a Miracle (2020){{Cite web |title=The Quietus {{!}} Reviews {{!}} Julianna Barwick |author=brian coney |work=The Quietus |date=July 17, 2020 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |url= https://thequietus.com/articles/28599-julianna-barwick-healing-is-a-miracle-review}}
• Eyedress – "Uncomfortable" from FULL TIME LOVER (2022)
• Tinashe – "Talk to Me Nice" from BB/ANG3L (2023)
• Tinashe – "No Simulation" from Quantum Baby (2024)
• Tinashe – "Getting No Sleep" from Quantum Baby (2024)

• Flying Lotus – "Camel" (2008)
• Charlotte Gainsbourg – "Heaven Can Wait" (2009)
• The xx – "Islands" (2010)
• Philip Glass – "Knee 1" (2012)
• Jon Hopkins – "Open Eye Signal" (2013)
• Little Dragon – "Klapp Klapp" (2014)
• BADBADNOTGOOD featuring Charlotte Day Wilson – "In Your Eyes" (2017)
• Kazu Makino – "Salty" (2019)
• HYUKOH – "World of the Forgotten" (2021)

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• {{Discogs artist|Nosaj Thing}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1985 births

Category:American musicians of Korean descent

Category:American electronic musicians

Category:Musicians from Los Angeles

Category:People from Montebello, California