Sunshine Life Emulator: The ‘Monday Is OK’ Mix

Music

Sunshine Life Emulator is the newest moniker of Hull-based producer Liam van Ryn.

Previously releasing music under a number of different guises over the last six years, now he’s focusing attention on the slower, introspective side of his productions, which came to fruition at the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020.

Some of these early creations form the basis of his first solo LP, Hatch Dream, a collection of ambient and IDM-influenced music that is blurs the lines between uplifting and pensive.

Themed around the idea of memory and how these transform and fade over time, the release uses old recordings and shapes them in new ways to “fill in the gaps” of what once was there. Liam mirrors this with the artwork and accompanying visuals by using old family photos that have been degraded in water as well as stop motion film and macro photography.

To commemorate the release, we asked him to take care of your Monday soundtrack with a mix of music to help you daydream the day away…

Ransom Note · Sunshine Life Emulator: The 'Monday Is OK' Mix

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you, what are you?

I’m Liam, I’m based near the city of Hull. I’ve been writing music for years, shuffling from project to project. Sunshine Life Emulator is an accumulation of all these things.

Tell us about the Monday mixtape you’ve put together for us.

A (hopefully useful) soundtrack for day dreaming on a Monday.

If it were to be drawn what would it look like?

Something vaguely recognisable

If it were a food what would it be?

A bit of a concoction

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

With some headphones and hopefully no one bothering you

Where was it recorded?

Partly at home, partly in Northumberland, an Ibis in Chafford Hundred and the Eurotunnel at one point

Are you on the same wavelength as the boomtown rats or do you actually like Mondays?

I don’t mind Mondays but I don’t like Sundays

Who got you hooked on music?

Listening to Mary Anne Hobbs and Gilles Peterson Radio 1 shows in the middle of the night in the early 2000s

What was the first record you heard and how did it make you feel?

First album I heard (and remember), probably Gorillaz – Demon Days. I felt quite cool but slightly petrified, that tends to still be what I look for in music

What were the first and last records you bought?

First record I bought was the first album that Crystal Castles released, the last album I bought was by Bjarki

What are you obsessed with at the moment?

The fact that it’s light again early in a morning

If you could travel in time…where in time would you go?

The future I think (for a bit)

Am I excited to dive into the challenges that I have lined up for the week?

This week I will be ignoring any challenges that may come my way, as I’m on holiday?

Am I looking forward to engaging with the people I am meeting or working with?

It’s good to be out of the house and I get to travel for my “day job” again, I’m trying to spend more time in the outdoors but not necessarily with other people

Your doctor says you need more exercise….what do you take up for exercise?

My girlfriend is a fitness instructor and I went to her spinning class the other day, it wouldn’t be that

What’s your answer to everything?

I struggle with answers