Ryan Fisherman a.k.a Ryan Chin is a New Zealand native who had his first encounter with music at age twelve, after getting out his dad’s old drum kit to have a go for himself. For him that was a moment of realisation and lust – a lust that would soon blossom into a deep love and see him evolve into the multi-instrumentalist, ‘bedroom producer’ and all-round intriguing alt-country crooner he is today.
You’ve heard him with Doprah and Nakey, but Ryan Fisherman is the perfect alt-country catch. Armed with soulful stories, Ryan puts a new spin on country.
At 23 years young, the ‘chiwi’ (chinese kiwi) is the member of five bands including Nakey and Doprah, all who create solitary sounds compared to those he has produced in his solo records. “I wouldn’t rate myself as much of a song writer so it’s cool to be part of bands like Doprah or NAKEY where the approach to writing music is done so differently” says Ryan. “I find each band has their own way of writing music and performing it. I just hope to take it all in and learn a thing or two from it”.
Fisherman’s latest EP The Nest Egg was written when he was 19. Originally an 11 track record yet having been cut down to a sample sized four tracks, he describes the process as one of evolving. “It’s easy to say that I don’t share the same enthusiasm as I did for these songs four years ago but I still felt it was important to release something rather than nothing.”
As I listen to The Nest Egg, I’m in awe. I hear a collection of tracks that have meant something, and have written themselves after emotive situations, whether they be about people or memories. With a sometimes strong and seductive baritone voice alike Nick Cave’s and a country inflicted twang, Fisherman is eclectic, and this EP is exactly as I suspected – an experimental piece, a showcase of his abilities.
His music is submerged in guitar, electric and acoustic and is most always mysterious. Along with fellow kiwi Marlon Williams, Fisherman too is assisting in the evolution of what we now define as ‘country’. He is dark and supple, somewhat depressing yet somewhat enlightening, he takes control of each sense, to create a powerful auditory experience.
Fisherman intensifies each track’s emotion with subtle harmonica, then contradicts himself with ambient alt-country, rock imbedded, Tom Petty esque riffs. But above all else, despite his doubts, Fisherman is a songwriter. A troubadour if you will. He tells stories with depth and soul, and conveys them in a way that only he could. The Ryan Fisherman way.
With less than 400 likes on the good old Facebook, Fisherman is highly underrated and is yet to be heard by many people worldwide, yet with hopes to record his first full length LP and to someday soon thereafter sell out a tour of NZ, Fisherman’s unique approach to country and music as a whole is all the proof that’s needed to say he is sure to touch a few lives and intoxicate a few spirits, the greatest gift any musician could hope to provide or receive.
