Tonearm – Short Bio

Tonearm is a solo project of New York-based musician/producer Ilia Bis.  Bis grew up in Moscow and later moved to the U.S., where he simultaneously pursued studies in composition/orchestration and computer sound synthesis.   Before launching Tonearm in late 2004, Bis produced and played in a number of bands, performed his music at multimedia festivals and fashion shows, and completed several soundtracks for independent films. 

The idea behind Tonearm is to combine sophisticated songwriting and computer-based production with the thrill of a raw live performance.   Throughout 2005,  Tonearm played in a wide range of clubs, from mid-sized venues to a filled 800-capacity ballroom. His final show of the year was a well-received opening set for The Notwist.  

Tonearm's performances have garnered universal praise from critics and received broad coverage from press and television; at the end of the year he was hailed as "the best thing that happened to Russian electronic music in 2005" by Moscow's most respected cultural publication, “Afisha”.   After spending the last year and a half in Europe and Russia, Tonearm has returned to New York, where he is finishing his debut record.