Jessica Rylan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jessica Rylan (born 1974)[1] is a sound artist, electronic musician, and engineer originally from Boston, Massachusetts. Most of Rylan's work is based on the design and construction of DIY modular synthesizers, which she then uses to create a variety of sounds combined with her own vocal performance. Her work has been described as "a set of weird hybrids - noise pop, folk noise",[2] and "sometimes rough, sometimes playful, sometimes confessional".[3] She describes herself as an "artist turned engineer",[4] and has cited Merzbow as an influence upon her own work.[5]
Rylan grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and was based in Boston for the beginning of her career. She has played music for most of her life and began with classical training. Rylan also sang, read music, and played musical instruments in her early years. Her grandfather was an electrical engineer and was her first influence in the area of electronics. He taught her about electronics and helped her first build machines. The magazine Popular Electronics was also an inspiration to Rylan when she was growing up.[6]
Rylan received an MFA degree in electronic music from Bard College in 2003. She was a research affiliate at the MIT Center For Advanced Visual Studies from 2006 to 2010. Rylan received a BS degree in electrical engineering from University of Massachusetts Lowell in 2010. She has received grants from Penny McCall Foundation and the LEF Foundation and is currently a PhD candidate in electrical engineering at Stanford University.[7]
