OFFICIAL BIO
Regarded upon his 2006 arrival as a promising beatmaker looming in the shadows of J Dilla, Madlib, waterfalls and Dabrye, Steven Ellison -- known as Flying Lotus -- nullified all comparisons only two years later with Los Angeles. On that album, his first of five for the Warp label, Ellison distilled a uniquely crisp, spasmodic, and heady sound with elements of hip-hop, avant-garde jazz, IDM, and dubstep. While the abovementioned producers fueled Ellison, he had also been excited as a youngster by the '90s West Coast rap classics that combined programming and live instrumentation. His sound continued to develop as he put his own twist on the approach, recording with a crop of jazz musicians including the indispensable likes of bassist Thundercat and strings master Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. This process began with the turbulent 2010 set Cosmogramma and peaked in terms of acclaim in 2014 with You're Dead!, which crashed the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 and spawned the Kendrick Lamar collaboration "Never Catch Me," a Grammy nominee for Best Dance Recording. Ellison devoted a few years to various forms of film work and the operation of his revered Brainfeeder label, and returned in 2019 with Flamagra, his second consecutive album to top Billboard's Dance/Electronic chart.

Stream debut Album "No Hard feelings": https://lnk.to/SchwarzDontCrack_NoHardFeelings

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Booking: assistant_mgmt_hh@nettwerk.com

Management: Neverland Music / Martin Schuhmacher
martin@nettwerk.com

Label:
Nettwerk Music

Biography:

“It starts with a sound…”

In Berlin’s ever-mutating musical landscape, musical pleasures emerge and dissolve like the effervescent love of a summer fling. Yet two men have found a synthesis of sound formed from the perpetual electronic obsession of the German capital and the rich tapestry of American R&B. These are the keywords of Schwarz Don’t Crack, the shared aural linguistics of Ahmad Larnes and Sebastian Kreis.

Following his move from New York City, Larnes soon met Kreis and found in him a kindred spirit who had also fled his own region of southern Germany in favor of Berlin’s more progressive dreamscape. The two debuted as Schwarz Don’t Crack in 2011—a year when the dividing lines between genres was beginning to blur more than ever—and they quickly found an audience eager to bask in the jeweled sweat of Larne’s soulful lyrics and Kreis’ liquid bass beats. After debuting their single “Charade” on Kitsuné Records in 2013, the two have since divided their time touring and working on a new EP and a full-length album. 

“…the things I feel the most…”

Simplicity is a cornerstone of Schwarz Don’t Crack’s ethos, a driving force that has shaped both their releases and live performances into something fierce and immediate. Their signature sound is rich with pop hooks and melodies that never skirt too far into mainstream territory, backed with luscious beats that combine the entrancing snare of a well-produced and intriguing sound palette without distracting from the thrust of club propulsion. 

The duo’s first self-titled EP balances this combination effortlessly. Dance floor-ready cut “Little Pieces” showcases Larne’s powerful vocals while Kreis works in elements of liquid bass over the wooden snap of dissected UK garage snares and a breathy, gasping kick that summons succubal desires into the feet and loins of anyone listening. Smooth red velvet audio comes in the form of “Lay You Down”, evocative of Hot 97-flavored summers gone by. While the subject matter behind their lyrics—tales of love, betrayal and pain—is universal, there’s an intimacy in their music as well a deft production hand that makes each piece feel as intimate as though it was being sung straight into your ear.

“…and it takes your breath away.”

With each new sonic exploration into inspirations new and old, Schwarz Don’t Crack flex their musical muscles to become something stronger—unmistakably classic on several levels, yet firmly in the Now and always beautifully surprising. If your musical world has become too predictable, let them take your hand and lead you to the chance floor.

Press contacts:
Patricia Nigiani / Nettwerk Music Group
ph: +49 40 431 900 18
f: +49 40 431 846 51
e-mail: patricia@nettwerk.com


Doctor of Arts, Mercury Prize nominated musician. 
Poet, DJ, Activist. Tea addict.

Monsoonras is following