John Thayer is a New York-based musician and audio engineer whose experiential compositions are inspired by a deep attention to the sounds of the natural world. His recordings, centered around a hybrid of studio techniques and improvisatory performance, range from long-form, multilayered ambience to polyrhythmic electro-acoustic collage.
A trained drummer and percussionist, Thayer has toured internationally as a performing artist. His work has appeared in multiple television and feature films and been released by a number of record labels including Aural Canyon, Mexican Summer, Astral Editions, Moon Villain, Surfacing Records, Not Not Fun and Spirit House Records.
In addition to his solo releases, Thayer creates site-specific sound installations and is an active collaborator in NYC’s experimental scene. He has performed with a long list of incredible musicians including; Zeena Parkins, Daniel Carter, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Lucas Brode, Brian Chase, Chris Cochrane, Kato Hideki, Sarah Bernstein, Craig Schenker, Ezra Feinberg, Arp, Robbie Lee, Gelsey Bell, Jeff Tobias, Jim Pugliese, Nick Jozwiak, Stan Zenkov & David Lackner.
He is a 2018 Montello Foundation artist in residence. His sound installation “Currents” premiered at Brooklyn’s Trestle Gallery in 2019. His long form piece “Listening Sky” premiered at the SUMA, the Southern Utah Museum of Art in October 2021. Thayer is a graduate of the Institute of Audio Research and George Washington University.