Tim Hecker

Hecker performing at Mutek 2012

Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Hecker is the son of two art teachers. During his high school years, he played in rock bands with friends, before acquiring a sampler and working on solo material.[4] He moved to Montreal, Quebec in 1998 to study at Concordia University and explore his artistic interests further.[4] He initially performed internationally as a DJ and techno producer under the name Jetone, releasing three albums under the moniker.[5] By 2001 he became disenchanted with the musical direction of the Jetone project. In 2001, Hecker released the album Haunt Me, Haunt Me Do It Again,[6] under his own name through the label Alien8.[5] He followed with Radio Amor (2003) and Mirages (2004).

In 2006 he moved to Kranky where he released his fourth album Harmony in Ultraviolet.[5][7] He subsequently incorporated the use of pipe organ sounds which were digitally processed and distorted. For the album Ravedeath, 1972, Hecker travelled to Iceland where together with Ben Frost, he recorded parts in a church. In November 2010, Alien8 re-released Hecker's debut album on vinyl.[8][9] Live performances contain improvisations by processing organ sounds that are manipulated, with great fluctuations in volume.[10]

In 2012, Hecker collaborated with Daniel Lopatin (who records as Oneohtrix Point Never) on an improvisatory project[11] which became Instrumental Tourist (2012). Following 2013's Virgins, Hecker convened once again in Reykjavik for sessions across 2014 and 2015, to create what would become Love Streams. Collaborators include Ben Frost, Johann Johannsson, Kara-Lis Coverdale and Grimur Helgason, whilst the 15th century choral works by Josquin des Prez birthed the foundations of the album.[12] In February 2016, it was announced that Hecker had joined 4AD while his eighth album was released in April of that year.[13][14] Hecker admits to thinking about ideas like "liturgical aesthetics after Yeezus" and the "transcendental voice in the age of auto-tune" during its creation.[15]

In addition to touring with Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Sigur Rós and recording with the likes of Fly Pan Am, Hecker has also collaborated with Christof Migone, Martin Tétreault and Aidan Baker. He has also contributed remixes to other artists, including Isis.[4]

Hecker pursued a professional career outside music and worked as a political analyst for the Canadian Government in the early 2000s.[16] After leaving his employment in 2006 he enrolled at McGill University to study for a PhD,[17] with a thesis on urban noise that was published in 2014.[18] He has also worked there as a lecturer in sound culture in the Art History and Communications department.[19]

Hecker occasionally makes sound installations and has collaborated with visual artists such as Stan Douglas[21] and Charles Stankievech.[22]

Hecker, along with other musicians Ben Frost and Steve Goodman (Kode9) and artists Piotr Jakubowicz, Marcel Weber (MFO) and Manuel Sepulveda (Optigram), provided music for Unsound Festival's sensory installation, 'Ephemera'.[23]

Hecker composed the score for 2016's The Free World,[24] selected to be shown in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.[25] He composed the score for BBC Two drama series The North Water directed by Andrew Haigh and based on Ian McGuire's novel of the same name.

Hecker also composed the score for the Austrian drama and horror film Luzifer, which won the Best Actor Award for Franz Rogowski at Fantastic Fest in 2021[26] and Best Actress Award for Susanne Jensen and Best Actor Award for Franz Rogowski at the 2021 Sitges Film Festival.[27][28]

• List of ambient music artists

• Official website
• Tim Hecker at AllMusic
• Tim Hecker at Alien8 Recordings
• Discography at Discogs