Unique & professional Kankyō Ongaku musician focused on bringing your project to life. Specializing in Ambient, BGM, Alternative Rock, and Shoegaze. Experience with short film soundtracking, sound design, mixing, mastering, and recording to tape and CD.
Hi there,
My name is Elijah Knutsen, I am a professional musician from Portland, Oregon. I am mainly work in the unique sub-genre of Kankyō Ongaku (Japanese Ambient). Made popular by recent YouTube exposure and re-issues. I am also well versed in Shoegaze & Alternative Rock.
“Unique, evocative, emotional, professional …” These are some of the ways my work has been described.
I started my imprint; “Memory Color” in early 2020, and began producing cassette tapes and CDs of my work. Since then, I have released 30+ recordings under my imprint and other labels. My work has been featured in radio programs, publications, and newspapers in the USA, U.K, Japan, & Europe. I also have recently signed a sub-publishing contract with Shinko Music LLC, from Japan.
I am offering you my skills as a producer in order to bring your project to the next level. I am a timely & efficient individual who is open & willing to receive your feedback. This is YOUR project, and I will work tirelessly to ensure you receive exactly what you ask for. I am skilled in guitar, keyboard, bass, sound design, & mixing/mastering.
My gear is as follows:
Nebelung Satora electric guitar
Yamaha DX-7 Synthesizer
Six string bass
Tascam 202 MKVII
Tascam CD-RW MKII Professional
Thank you for considering me, I hope to work together soon.
- Elijah Knutsen
I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.
Credits
Discogs verified credits for Elijah KnutsenLanguages
- English
Interview with Elijah Knutsen
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: My “Music For Vending Machines” project: This was my first foray into something new, and I’m happy to say I am proud of what I created. https://arouralrecords.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-vending-machines-1-2023-remaster
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both. I enjoy the effects realm and cleanliness of digital. I am a huge CD fanatic.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: My promise to you is that I will deliver a moving, high quality piece of music, something leagues above anything AI or royalty free.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That ambient music is easy. Making interesting ambient music that tells a story and has an emotional pull to it is difficult, and takes a lot of time. Mixing/mastering ambient is also very nuanced.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What are you looking for, tonally? What do you want the listener to feel?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Don’t be afraid to ask for a revision. It is your project, and we are here for you.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: My guitar and my field recorder.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started in 2018 with a Post-Rock project, before starting to produce ambient works under my own name in 2020. I started my own imprint, and began selling cassettes and CDs to people & record stores around the world. Since then I have taken a more devoted approach to my music, signing a sub publishing deal with Shinko Music LLC in 2024.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Melancholic, explorative, and raw.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Robin Guthrie; I am very inspired by his simple and evocative approach to guitar work.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Don’t be afraid of empty space in a track.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: My two main genres are ambient and Shoegaze, often intertwined. I work on instrumental mainly, but have also experimented with my own vocals. I enjoy anything that has an emotional pull to it.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Finding what is right for the track or project in terms of musicality and tone.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring a sense of space and texture to songs I work on, and often times a driving, catchy melodic part.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I generally start with background ambiance, working out the length and sequence of the song. Afterwards I work out a main melody, and then layers to help accentuate the feeling of the track.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Mackie mixer, DI box: Electric Guitar, Bass, and Yamaha DX-7 from Japan. Enthusiastic about physical media! Tascam Tape Deck, CD RW, and CD duplicator.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: The Cure, Harold Budd, Robin Guthrie, Hiroshi Yoshimura, and Tetsu Inoue.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Short film soundtracks, YouTube BGM, and interlude music for web shows.
2 free revisions, afterwards $30 per revision
Turn-around time: 2-5 days
- Hiroshi Yoshimura
- Harold Budd
- Robin Guthrie
- Original Yamaha DX-7
