Biography
Natalie Chami, the experimental artist based in Chicago, releases ambient solo work under the TALsounds name while belonging to the trio Good Willsmith, constituting one half of the duo l'éternèbre, and serving as co-founder of the Screaming Claws collective. She constructs her solo pieces through real-time improvisation across multiple synthesizers, looping equipment, and her own voice, yielding results that are markedly more serene and introspective than the frequently turbulent output of Good Willsmith, yet still infused with elements of playfulness and joy. Her recorded catalog encompasses multiple cassettes issued by imprints such as Hausu Mountain, among them the 2015 release All the Way, alongside full-length albums on Ba Da Bing (Love Sick, 2017) and NNA Tapes (Acquiesce, 2020; Shift, 2023).
Originating from Ontario, Chami adopted the TALsounds designation in 2009 and commenced live performances throughout Chicago in 2011. Good Willsmith came together in 2012 and promptly embarked on tours, though Chami maintained her solo schedule, including support slots for acts such as the Japanese ensemble Mono and Chris Brokaw. Notes & Bolts issued her first solo cassette, Sky Face, in 2013; subsequent releases included a split 7" alongside Iron Galaxy plus additional cassettes on Hausu Mountain—the label operated by her two Good Willsmith colleagues—as well as Tabs Out and Bookend Recordings. She has appeared on bills with Dustin Wong, Marissa Nadler, Mind Over Mirrors, and numerous artists affiliated with Hausu Mountain.
The tape Natal Host appeared in 2016 through a partnership with synth maker Moog and was captured exclusively on the monophonic Mother-32, a departure from the polyphonic instruments she ordinarily employs. Toward the close of that same year, all three Good Willsmith members issued solo cassettes simultaneously on Hausu Mountain, with TALsounds contributing Lifter + Lighter. Ba Da Bing Records presented Love Sick in 2017, marking TALsounds’ initial appearance on both compact disc and vinyl. NNA Tapes followed with the full-length Acquiesce in 2020. After undergoing multiple personal transitions, among them Chami’s marriage and move to the Washington, D.C. region, TALsounds issued Shift in 2023.
Originating from Ontario, Chami adopted the TALsounds designation in 2009 and commenced live performances throughout Chicago in 2011. Good Willsmith came together in 2012 and promptly embarked on tours, though Chami maintained her solo schedule, including support slots for acts such as the Japanese ensemble Mono and Chris Brokaw. Notes & Bolts issued her first solo cassette, Sky Face, in 2013; subsequent releases included a split 7" alongside Iron Galaxy plus additional cassettes on Hausu Mountain—the label operated by her two Good Willsmith colleagues—as well as Tabs Out and Bookend Recordings. She has appeared on bills with Dustin Wong, Marissa Nadler, Mind Over Mirrors, and numerous artists affiliated with Hausu Mountain.
The tape Natal Host appeared in 2016 through a partnership with synth maker Moog and was captured exclusively on the monophonic Mother-32, a departure from the polyphonic instruments she ordinarily employs. Toward the close of that same year, all three Good Willsmith members issued solo cassettes simultaneously on Hausu Mountain, with TALsounds contributing Lifter + Lighter. Ba Da Bing Records presented Love Sick in 2017, marking TALsounds’ initial appearance on both compact disc and vinyl. NNA Tapes followed with the full-length Acquiesce in 2020. After undergoing multiple personal transitions, among them Chami’s marriage and move to the Washington, D.C. region, TALsounds issued Shift in 2023.
Albums
Singles
