Evan Peter Mast, also known by his stage nameE*vax or E.VAX, is an American electronic music artist[1] and record producer. He is one-half of the New York–based electronic rock band Ratatat, alongside Mike Stroud.
Mast has released 7-inch singles on Static Caravan Recordings and Mold Recordings, along with an EP in collaboration with musician Craig Wedren, most known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band Shudder to Think. Mast also recorded a track titled "The Mule" for the TV show Silicon Valley.[4]
Mast has written and produced hip hop music as E*vax. His first credit was the track "Look Alive" performed by rapper Despot featuring Mast’s own band Ratatat from the record label Definitive Jux compilation album Definitive Jux Presents IV, released in 2009.[5] Some years later he produced a track titled "$100 Bill" performed by rapper Jay-Z, which is the opening track from Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film The Great Gatsby released in 2013. Once again, he collaborated with Despot in 2015, producing the track "House of Bricks", the lead single from the rapper’s debut studio album We’re All Excited. In 2018, Mast worked together with rapper-producer Kanye West on the so called Wyoming Sessions, which led him to write and produce in the Kids See Ghosts's self-titled debut studio album tracks "Feel the Love", "Fire" and "Reborn"; as well as the Nas track "Adam and Eve" from the rapper's twelfth studio album Nasir, and also a track from Teyana Taylor's second studio album K.T.S.E. titled "Rose in Harlem". The next year he co-produced "Selah", the second track from Kanye West's ninth studio album Jesus Is King, while he once again collaborated with Teyana Taylor, producing her single "We Got Love" from her third studio album The Album, released in 2020.
As E.VAX, he released a self-titled album on September 17, 2021.[6] It was announced in June 2021. He released two singles from the album, "Rabindra" and "Karst".[7][8]
Other ventures
E*vax and his brother E*rock operate their independent record label Audio Dregs. His first album, Parking Lot Music, was released on 4 April 2001. Mast's music uses everyday sounds to create simple electronic beats.