Ian Ewing Reimagines Catalog Tracks on ‘Live Sessions’ EP

Today, So-Cal artist/producer/drumming savant Ian Ewing shares a new EP entitled Ian Ewing & Friends (Live Sessions), containing live versions of previously released songs. The EP’s five tracks are taken from Ewing’s “Live Sessions” performance video, which premiered on YouTube on March 29.

In 2023, Ian Ewing released a whopping four EPs with Nettwerk (Second Summer, Where I’ll Be, Swim and Gail). Inspired by Yussef Dayes’ recent “Live From Malibu” session, Ewing sought to create a live session of his own, to put an extra spotlight on some of his favorite songs from the banner year. The result is an analog audiovisual experience that feels like sitting on a couch in the living room of close friends.

To make the 20-minute live sessions happen, Ewing enlisted a crew of fellow lofi producers for every component, from location scouting to filming to playing instruments. Lofi/RnB artist SCayos played a Rhodes keyboard, lofi beatmaker Birocratic (DIssect Podcast theme) held it down on bass, and producers takeo & Joe Nora captured the playthru on HD video and Super 8 film; the cameras toggle between the two angles throughout the video. To cap it off, producer Cristian Strehlow audio engineered the session, running cables through the living room of a cozy home in Riverside, CA. 

All in all, Ian Ewing & Friends (Live Sessions) was a true lofi family affair. Stream the EP at all digital retailers here: https://ianewing.ffm.to/ianewingandfriends

ABOUT IAN EWING

Ian Ewing is a self-taught instrumentalist, producer and artist who blends a smooth mix of hip hop, electronica, and R&B to create a sound that has been supported and showcased by Chillhop Music, SiriusXM, BBC One Extra, Soulection, Complexion’s Future Beats Show, Indie Shuffle, and much more. 

At a young age, the Southern California-based artist (by way of Wisconsin) fell in love with hip hop and the history behind it. This was his gateway into electronic beat production where he finds himself today, as he strives to create ambient compositions of sample-based sounds blended with his own instrumentation. His lifelong love affair with the drums infuses organic rhythmic elements into his music, drawing on influences from a wide variety of drummers, from John Bonham and Ginger Baker, to Yussef Dayes and Benny Greb. 

Ewing’s music is also directly influenced by the outdoors and the ways we experience it. Whether it’s skimboarding a shorebreak wave, snowboarding a snow-capped mountain, or hiking a wooded trail, Ewing’s inspiration of organic sounds and senses lies in celebrating the natural world and all its wonders. 

Ewing has headlined various shows across the US, and has both collaborated and toured with artists including Flamingosis, Louis Futon, Joey Pecoraro, Anomalie, Galimatias, and Cautious Clay. A prolific drummer, his sounds have been sampled by the likes of Frank Ocean, Victoria Monét, Loyle Carner and Tek of Smif N Wessun. While his music claims to be “the official soundtrack of hummus everywhere,” this has yet to be confirmed.