Tycho

Tycho is the ambient and electronic project of Scott Hansen, a US producer and songwriter from Sacramento, born in 1977 and also known for photographic and design work under the name ISO50. The project is associated with ambient, chillout, chillwave, deep house, downtempo and electronic music, and it develops from Hansen’s solo studio work into a more band-oriented setup in later releases.

Releases and label history

Tycho begins releasing music with The Science of Patterns EP. Hansen’s first full-length album, Sunrise Projector, follows in 2004, and Past Is Prologue appears in 2006. After that, Tycho continues issuing singles and working with more live instrumentation. The project is signed to Ghostly International and also releases music on Merck Records and Gammaphone Records.

Style, collaborations and live formation

Tycho’s music is described as tranquil, nostalgic and melodic, and the project gains wider recognition as it moves beyond the boundaries of IDM and ambient. The 2011 album Dive is Tycho’s debut full-length for Ghostly International. By the time of Awake, the project functions as a three-piece band with Zac Brown on guitar and bass and Rory O’Connor on live drums, reflecting Hansen’s move to bring collaborators from the touring setup into the recording process. The sound and artwork of Awake reflect this shift toward a more kinetic and percussive approach.

Notable tracks and wider recognition

Tycho’s track “Dictaphone’s Lament” is used in the music video Live Life to the Fullest for Toonami, and “Cascade” appears during the final moments of the original 11-year run of Toonami in 2008. Around 2008, URB names Tycho as one of its Next 100 artists to watch, marking the project as a notable name in electronic music.