Pearson Sound

Early in his career, Kennedy released some music under the names Ramadanman (until 2010){{cite web|title=RA: Ramadanman|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/ramadanman}} and Maurice Donovan.{{cite web |last1=Ellis |first1=Huw |title=Maurice Donovan - Babeh |url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/reviews/9186 |access-date=11 July 2020}} He has worked under the Pearson Sound alias since 2008 and tracks under old and new names featured in his FabricLive.56 mix. He has released several acclaimed EPs and singles, including "Blanked",{{cite web|title=Top 100 singles of 2010|url=http://www.factmag.com/2011/02/06/100-best-tracks-of-2010-100-81/4/|website=Fact Magazine|access-date=15 March 2017}} "Deep Inside" and "Thaw Cycle". He has completed remixes for artists such as Radiohead, Depeche Mode, the XX, Disclosure and MIA, on labels including XL, Warner and Columbia.{{cite web|title=Discogs: Pearson Sound|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/1468737-Pearson-Sound|website=Discogs.com|access-date=15 March 2017}} He was voted by the public as one of Resident Advisor{{'}}s top 100 DJs in the world in both 2010 and 2011.{{cite web|title=Top 100 DJs of 2011|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/1252|website=Resident Advisor|access-date=15 March 2017}}

In 2007, he founded the record label Hessle Audio with Ben Thomson (Ben UFO) and Kevin McAuley (Pangaea). Since then, Hessle Audio have been featured regularly in major dance music publications,{{cite web|last1=Carnes|first1=Richard|title=Label of the month: Hessle Audio|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/1006|website=Resident Advisor|access-date=15 March 2017}}[http://mixmag.net/feature/label-focus-hessle-audio/ "Label Focus: Hessle Audio"], Mixmag, Patrick Hinton 14 November 2016 as well as touring across the world.{{cite web|title=Hessle Audio goes on tour|url=https://www.xlr8r.com/news/2017/02/hessle-audio-goes-on-tour/|website=XLR8R|access-date=15 March 2017}} On their 15th anniversary in 2022, a cover feature in Crack magazine stated: "Pound for pound, Hessle Audio are surely the most influential British club label of their generation".{{cite web |title=On and on and on: the first fifteen years of Hessle Audio |url=https://crackmagazine.net/article/profiles/hessle-audio-cover-story-ben-ufo-pearson-sound-pangaea/ |access-date=10 October 2022}}

Kennedy released his debut self-titled album in 2015 on Hessle Audio.[http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/pearson-sound-pearson-sound-album-review-1.2136736 "Pearson Sound: Pearson Sound | Album Review"]. The Irish Times, Chris Jones, 14 March 2015 The album was well received critically and scored 8.1 by the website Pitchfork.{{cite web|last1=Gaerig|first1=Andrew|title=Pearson Sound review|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20177-pearson-sound/|website=Pitchfork|access-date=1 May 2015}} His single "XLB" was voted as the second best track of 2016 by Resident Advisor.{{cite web|title=RA Poll: Top 50 tracks of 2016|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/2862|website=Resident Adviser|access-date=15 March 2017}}

Kennedy makes regular appearances on BBC Radio 1 who describe him as a 'key figure in the [UK bass] scene',{{cite web|title=BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b017lb1y|publisher=BBC|access-date=15 March 2017}} as well as co-hosting a regular show on London's Rinse FM.{{cite web|title=Hessle Audio: Rinse FM|url=http://rinse.fm/artists/hessleaudio/|website=Rinse FM|access-date=15 March 2017}}

Aside from DJing, producing and mixing, Kennedy also ran for many years a vinyl-only club night called Acetate at the Leeds nightclub Wire, featuring guests such as Gilles Peterson and Four Tet, and he was a headline act at the club's final club night weekend before its closure in June 2024.{{cite web |last1=Muk |first1=Isaac |title=RIP Wire: The Leeds club's closure leaves a rich legacy and a huge void |url=https://crackmagazine.net/article/long-reads/rip-wire-leeds-club-closure-midland-hessle-audio/ |website=Crack magazine |access-date=6 October 2024}}

Kennedy was brought up in north London and studied at Highgate School{{cite journal |last1=Hodgson |first1=Ben |title=Pearson Sound - self-titled album review |journal=The Cholmeleian |date=Spring 2016 |page=16 |url=https://docplayer.net/60369526-Thecholmeleian-the-new-junior-school-we-interview-principal-mark-james-ypres-memorial-head-dedicates-plaque-for-ww1-fallen.html |access-date=10 October 2022}} and the University of Leeds. His mother is the civil engineer Joanna Kennedy. He lives in south London. {{cite web |title=Pearson Sound |url=https://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/pearson-sound-everyday-im-hesslin |access-date=10 October 2022}}

• Pearson Sound (2015), Hessle Audio

• "Hornet" / "Twister" / "Slingshot" / "Which Way Is Up" (October 2024){{cite web |last1=Lawson |first1=Michael |title=Pearson Sound reveals new EP on Hessle Audio |url=https://ra.co/news/81219 |website=Resident Advisor |access-date=6 October 2024}}
• "Red Sky" / "Sinkhole" / "Freefall" / "Around in Circles" (2022){{cite web |title=Pearson Sound Announces new 'Red Sky' EP on Hessle Audio |url=https://mixmag.net/read/pearson-sound-release-red-sky-ep-hessle-audio-news/ |access-date=10 October 2022}}
• "Alien Mode" / "Cobwebs" / "Everything Inside Out" (2020){{cite web |last1=Hawthorn |first1=Carlos |title=Pearson Sound - Alien Mode |url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/reviews/25129 |access-date=9 July 2020}}
• "Rubble" / "Earwig" / "Our Spirits Soar" (2018)
• "Robin Chasing Butterflies" / "Eels" / "Heal Me" (2017){{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Mark |title=Pearson Sound - Robin Chasing Butterflies |url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/reviews/20916 |access-date=9 July 2020}}
• "REM" / "Gridlock" / "Figment" / "Crimson (Beat Ritual Mix)" (2013)
• "Lola" / "Power Drumsss" / "Starburst" (2013)
• "Clutch" / "Underdog" / "Piston" (2012)

• "Hornet" (June 2024){{cite web |last1=Babbington-Fowles |first1=Tom |title=Pearson Sound - Hornet |url=https://recordreport.co.uk/reviews/pearson-sound-hornet |website=Record Report |access-date=6 October 2024}}
• "XLB" (2016)
• "Thaw Cycle" / "Freeze Cycle" (2015)
• "Raindrops" (2014)[https://www.npr.org/2015/03/05/389493760/first-listen-pearson-sound-pearson-sound "Review: Pearson Sound, 'Pearson Sound']. NPR, 17 March 2015
• "Quivver" (2013)
• "Untitled" / "Footloose" (2012)
• "Faint", with Joy Orbison and Boddika (2012)
• "Deep Inside" / "Working With" (2011)

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.pearsonsound.com Official website]
• [http://www.soundcloud.com/pearsonsound SoundCloud page]
• {{Twitter|pearsonsound}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vmgzhL4kQI Pearson Sound lecture at] Red Bull Music Academy (Madrid 2011), hosted by Benji B

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Category:DJs from London

Category:English electronic dance music DJs

Category:English electronic musicians

Category:English radio DJs

Category:English record producers

Category:1988 births

Category:Living people

Category:People educated at Highgate School

Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds