One of the region’s most respected songwriters/composers/arrangers/producers, Asif Illyas, celebrates the vinyl release of his new album, Autonomy, at The Carleton on Thursday, December 4th. He’ll be hitting the stage at 7:30 PM and tickets are only $20 + HST. Don’t miss this rare chance to see a master in action.
Asif Illyas is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and film music producer/ composer from Nova Scotia, Canada. He brings over 30 years of experience to his artistry being a founding member of award-winning bands like MIR (Canada/Germany) and Big Picture (Canada) and he has performed with respected artists including Cutting Crew (UK), Lennie Gallant (Canada), Colin Hay (Men At Work – AU), and Paula Cole (USA). Behind the scenes, Asif has experience with legends like Natalie Cole, Babyface, and Lionel Richie, assisting David Foster’s music director.
His production of award-winning musical scores has also graced the world stage, with his documentary, dramatic film, and television compositions showcased at prestigious festivals such as TIFF, Cannes, AIFF, and Berlin, as well as airing across hundreds of global channels.
Currently, Asif is reimagining his songwriting catalog with a unique acoustic guitar technique he has dubbed, “4D Fingerstyle”, which incorporates drums, bass, harmonies, and melodies played, simultaneously, on a custom acoustic guitar named, “Galadriel”, a magical instrument crafted from a one-of-a-kind mahogany tree famed for its incredible characteristics; hinting at an otherworldly biology. This masterpiece was designed and crafted by master luthier Michael Greenfield in Montreal, Canada.
Enchanted by a possible interstellar energy from this extraordinary guitar, Asif Illyas, was inspired to create his latest project, the instrumental album, “Autonomy”® Featuring eight original tracks and a respectful Kraftwerk (DE) cover, it was recorded live in single, unedited takes on a ½” Studer a807 analogue tape machine, preserving a raw, human touch, free of digital manipulation.
The album contains pieces such as, “Stellar Cartography”, which captures the Voyager probe’s journey of astronomical solitude with delicate arpeggios, while “Autonomy” pulses with the rhythm of self-driving tech and harmonics representing our recent foray into artificial intelligence. Each track weaves acoustic warmth with innovative soundscapes, blending traditional six-string simplicity with technological evolution. All eight compositions are performed solely on “Galadriel”, except the hopeful, “Strong Enough”
“, where Asif is joined by his young daughter and son on vocals and hi-hat,
respectively.
Autonomy is set for digital and vinyl release in fall 2025.
Asif is a Greenfield Guitars artist and an endorser for D’Addario Canada.