Azmyl Yunor

Azmyl Yunor (born Azmyl Yusof; 17 January 1977) is a Malaysian independent English and Malay language singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, academic and writer.[1][2] He is also a journalist and filmmaker by training.[3]

In this Malay name, there is no family name. The name Yusof is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Azmyl. The Arabic-derived word "bin" or "binti"/"binte", if used, means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Azmyl Yunor
Birth nameAzmyl bin Yusof
Born (1977-01-17) 17 January 1977
OriginKuala Lumpur, Malaysia
GenresFolk rock, lo-fi, experimental rock
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist, writer
Years active1997–present
LabelsRapidear, Troubadours
Websitehttp://azmyl.bandcamp.com

His works have ranged from folk-country singer-songwriter styles to experimental guitar improvisations to punk and indie-noise rock, solo and with various bands he has founded and recorded with.[4][5] All of his solo recordings are released on his own Rapidear label (his earlier obscure cassette home recordings are out of print) and Troubadours.[1] A former street musician,[3][5] he is noted for his strong songwriting and lyrics, and laidback on-stage presence yet energetic live shows. He has also composed and collaborated for film, television, theatre, dance and spoken word/poetry productions.[4][6][7][8][9][10]

Early life

Azmyl Yunor was born on 17 January 1977 in Pantai Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. He is a son of Yusof Husin, an entomology professor and Norani Abdul Samad, a microbiology professor. Yunor has a younger brother, Azree who is eight years his junior. He grew up in Adelaide, Australia where his parents continuing their studies until he was 4 years old.[5] His family moved to Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor when he was 12. He attended the Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Jalan Gurney (1).[5]

Music career

With the release of the country folk-flavored Tenets EP (2005 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ron Khoo) in 2005 to acclaim,[11][12][13] he garnered wider attention of the press and established himself as one of the main movers of the burgeoning Malaysian singer-songwriter scene along with the likes of Meor Aziddin Yusof, Pete Teo, Shanon Shah and Shelley Leong. He has also recorded and released lo-fi recordings under the name Thunder Coffee Club.[14] He was voted as one of KLue magazine's '20 Under 40 – Significant & Young Individuals or Collectives' along with the likes of Mawi, Daphne Iking, Tiara Jacquelina, and Amir Muhammad in 2006.[15] His bi-lingual album Warga (2010 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ariff Akhir) saw him launch a self-funded 20-month tour to promote it.[16] His album Wilayah (2012 / produced by Azmyl Yunor & Ron Khoo) which features his two signature songs 'Makan Gaji' and 'Anak Dara' was recorded with his touring band the Sigarettes.[17]

He is a co-founder and member of the Experimental Musicians and Artists Co-operative Malaysia (Emacm) and a co-founder of Troubadours Enterprise, organisers of the annual singer-songwriter festival KL Sing Song from 2005 to 2009.[1][4][5] He was also a guitarist for Damo Suzuki's Network in Malaysia for a performance together in 2010.[18] A musical named after one of his popular songs "Something I Wrote" (directed by Mark Teh, produced by the Five Arts Centre) based on his life and works was staged in August 2013, during which he also launched a retrospective cd Revenge of the Rabak: Selected Works from the Lo-fi Years 1997–2005 comprising selected songs from his lo-fi cassette releases and the Tenets EP in its entirety.[19] The Pedra Branca EP (2014 / produced by Ronnie Khoo, Azmyl Yunor, & Jeremy Lee), a split EP with Singaporean doom folk artist Hell Low, was released in April 2014 and they both toured Singapore and Peninsula Malaysia to promote the release.[20]

After the disbandment of Azmyl Yunor & the Sigarettes in August 2014, he began work on a new album called Was Was and formed Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu with collaborator/ producer and ex-Sigarettes drummer Raje.[21] The band released its debut single "Tanah air Ku" ("My Motherland") from the new album on Malaysia Day[22] and made its debut festival performance at Urbanscapes 2014.[23] He released his latest album John Bangi Blues (2020 / produced by Ariff Akhir & Azmyl Yunor) in September 2020 to positive reviews for its stripped down live electric arrangement and lyrics which explored contemporary social themes.[24][25][26]

He teaches the film and performing arts programmes at Sunway University.[16][27]

He has also performed as a duo with fellow singer-songwriter Shanon Shah.

Discography
  • John Bangi Blues (2020)[28]
  • PKP EP (2020) [28]
  • Ampang Park EP (2017) [29]
  • Was Was (2015) [30]
  • The Pedra Branca EP (split EP with Hell Low) (2014)
  • Revenge of the Rabak: Selected Works from the Lo-fi Years 1997–2005 (2013)
  • Wilayah (2012)
  • H.I.D.U.P.: Hari Ini Di Ukay Perdana (2010)
  • Warga (2010)
  • Tenets EP (2005)
  • jikalauan EP (2004)
  • ends (2003)*
  • The Photocopy Album (2001)*
  • PRE-DUSK GLIMMER (1999)*
  • FOLK (1998)*
  • Watever (1997)*

Note: * cassette only releases

Filmography
  • Songs From The Mekong (2012. Dir: Steve Northcott & Gary Blanton)- Actor / Composer
  • Tolong! Awek Aku Pontianak (2011. Dir: James Lee)- Cameo & Film Composer
  • I Want To Remember (2011. Dir: Sherman Ong) – Film Composer
  • Year Without A Summer (Berkelana) (2011. Dir: Tan Chui Mui) – Film Score/ Composer
  • Rojak (2009. Dir: Suleiman Brothers) – Supporting Role
  • Before We Fall in Love Again (2006. Dir: James Lee) – Film Composer
  • The Flowers Beneath My Skin (2006. Dir: Kit Ong) – Film Score/ Composer
  • Sehingga KL Ku Menyanyi (Until My KL Sings) (2006. Dir: Mien Lor) – Supporting Role

Publication
  • "Busking the Days Away" (in 'What's After SPM?', editor: Roshan Thiran. Leaderonomics Publishing, Kuala Lumpur 2011.)
  • "Facing the Music: Music Subcultures and 'Morality' in Malaysia" (in 'Media, Culture & Society in Malaysia.', editor: Yeoh Seng Guan. Taylor & Francis Routledge, London 2010.)

Television
  • Dongibab (2022)
  • Kias Ramadhan (2011)
  • Anak-Anak Ramadhan (2009)

Appearances
  • The Maharajah Commission/Gangly Youth split 7-inch – The Maharajah Commission (2012)
  • Rasa Sayang Jalan Sultan compilation – various artists (2012)
  • On The Beat and Path compilation – various artists (2012)
  • Radio Demokratika compilation – various artists (2011)
  • Soal Kelentong Batu Cheng – Ladang Gempak (2006)
  • Voices From Next Door compilation – various artists (2006)
  • Mamak Conspiracy – Ben's Bitches (2006)
  • It's Great To Have An EP... – Ciplak! (2006)
  • Panic in the Peninsula compilation – various artists (2005)
  • Come Together compilation – various artists (2005)
  • National Disservice – Ben's Bitches (2004)
  • Punkrawkoholic vol. 1 compilation (as Thunder Coffee Club) – various artists (2003)
  • Dialogue Amoreaux – The Maharajah Commission (2003)
  • The Experimental Musicians & Artists Co-op Malaysia SELECTED LIVE JAN-FEB 2003 (2003) – various artists (2003)

References
  1. Chris True (2008), "Azmyl Yunor", All Music Guide, retrieved 14 October 2010
  2. Xeni Jardin (17 October 2005), More on sociology of Malaysian Black Metal, retrieved 20 October 2010
  3. Fahmi Fadzil (28 August 2005), "Rocking to stay true", The Star/Entertainment/Music/News & Feature, Petaling Jaya, archived from the original on 22 July 2011, retrieved 15 October 2010
  4. Zack Yusof (8 December 2006), "Rocking good time", The Star/Entertainment/Music/News & Feature, Petaling Jaya, archived from the original on 7 August 2011, retrieved 14 October 2010
  5. Nick Choo (24 September 2009), "Sharing a common thread", The Nutgraph, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 15 October 2010
  6. "15Malaysia", Time Out Kuala Lumpur, 17 August 2009, archived from the original on 30 March 2010, retrieved 15 October 2010
  7. Projek Wayang (26 November 2009), "Wayang Fajar", Projek Wayang, Petaling Jaya, retrieved 15 October 2010
  8. Jason (6 August 2009), "Download Kit Ong x Azmyl Yunor, Ronnie Khoo and Yong Yandsen Urbanscapes collabo", Junk, Kuala Lumpur, archived from the original on 17 August 2009, retrieved 15 October 2010
  9. chuimui (23 September 2010), IKAN: written by Azmyl Yunor for The Year Without A Summer, Petaling Jaya: Da huang Pictures, archived from the original on 7 October 2010, retrieved 15 October 2010
  10. CHO Young-jung (October 2010), Year Without A Summer, Pusan, South Korea: Pusan International Film Festival, retrieved 15 October 2010
  11. Adlin Rosli (22 June 2005), "The Thinking Man", Kakiseni, Petaling Jaya, archived from the original on 28 October 2010, retrieved 14 October 2010
  12. Daryl Goh (May 2005), "Tenets EP", The Star/Entertainment/Music/Reviews, Petaling Jaya, archived from the original on 22 July 2011, retrieved 6 April 2010
  13. Zack Yusof (31 May 2005), "Folk music from Azmyl Yunor", The Star/Entertainment/Music/Reviews, Petaling Jaya, archived from the original on 22 July 2011, retrieved 14 October 2010
  14. Kenneth Yu (July 2005), "Troubadour in Transit", Think, Petaling Jaya, archived from the original on 28 September 2007, retrieved 14 October 2010
  15. Nurhanie (September 2006), "KLue List", MawiFC.com, Malaysia, retrieved 25 January 2011
  16. Edward Gomez (10 May 2010), "Songs of a nation", The Star/Entertainment/Music/News & Feature, Petaling Jaya, archived from the original on 9 March 2012, retrieved 14 October 2010
  17. N. Rama Lohan (31 July 2012), "Craft Over Cool", The Star, Petaling Jaya, archived from the original on 21 February 2013, retrieved 31 July 2012
  18. Switch ON (November 2010), "DAMO SUZUKI'S NETWORK: Live in KL", Switch ON, Kuala Lumpur, retrieved 11 May 2011
  19. Wong Boon Ken (23 August 2013), Mark Teh and Azmyl Yunor on 'Something I Wrote', Kuala Lumpur: TimeOut Kuala Lumpur, retrieved 5 October 2013
  20. Ling Low (28 April 2014), Notes From A Small Island, Kuala Lumpur: Poskod Malaysia, retrieved 14 June 2014
  21. Izyan Liyana (21 August 2014), INTERVIEW: AZMYL YUNOR & THE SIGARETTES, Kuala Lumpur: The Wknd, archived from the original on 14 December 2021, retrieved 11 May 2015
  22. Coconuts KL (17 September 2014), Music Video: Azmyl Yunor's "Tanah Air Ku" is a road trip into Malaysia's heart, Kuala Lumpur: Coconuts KL, retrieved 11 May 2015
  23. Urbanscapes (26 September 2014), Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu, Kuala Lumpur: Urbanscapes, archived from the original on 11 December 2014, retrieved 11 May 2015
  24. Azizul Rahman Ismail (28 September 2020), "The language of music", The Sun, Kuala Lumpur, retrieved 4 November 2020
  25. Adrian Yap (14 October 2020), Azmyl Yunor – 'John Bangi Blues' review: A no-frills comeback from Malaysia's veteran troubadour, Kuala Lumpur: NME, retrieved 4 November 2020
  26. A. Azim Idris (1 November 2020), Azmyl Yunor takes on Malaysiana in 'John Bangi Blues', Kuala Lumpur: The Vibes, retrieved 4 November 2020
  27. Sunway University, Performance & Media: Academic Staff, Petaling Jaya, archived from the original on 23 November 2010, retrieved 15 October 2010
  28. "Azmyl Yunor takes on 'John Bangi Blues' - Music". November 2020.
  29. http://www.dailyseni.com/v4/azmyl-yunor-ampang-park/
  30. "Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu 'WAS WAS' album launch | Kakiseni". Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
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