Sonanaut is the project of New York based Simon Smart a Welshman by birth. Simon spent most of his career in London and moved to New York in 2005. He has worked in the US and Europe as a recording and mix engineer, with artists and for TV and film soundtracks. A significant volume of his work was done at London’s Abbey Road Studios

As a composer he’s written music for commercials and documentaries and his work includes the UK Channel 4 Station Ident

Simon’s first album as Sonanaut was released on IVSI Records at the end of 2007. It’s a collection of works based on his response to his life in New York. Though it’s an ambient chillout album it’s very personal reflecting thoughts about people, some he knows and some he doesn’t.

The album was chosen to be a sonic exhibit at an exhibition called ‘Sonic-Self’ at the Chelsea Art Museum in New York.

Major musical influences include Steve Reich, FSOL, Bela Bartok, Bill Evans, Lyle Mays, Claus Ogerman, Claude Debussy, Massive Attack and Deep House.