Singer and songwriter Marcus Brown, aka Nourished by Time, is a philosophically wry, genre-bending performer whose idiosyncratic style pulls together elements of lo-fi indie pop, hip-hop, synthy post-punk, and '90s-style new jack swing. In addition to his musical headiness, he's lyrically thoughtful, mixing romantic slow jams alongside ruminations on consumerism and capitalism. He brought all of this to bear on his 2023 debut album, Erotic Probiotic 2, and the 2024 EP Catching Chickens.

Born in Baltimore, Brown grew up listening to his parents' record collection, a mix classic hip-hop, jazz, and '90s R&B. Although basketball was an early passion, at age 15 he started playing guitar after discovering a video of guitarist Slash soloing alongside Michael Jackson. Soon after, he was picking up on albums by Jimi Hendrix. Two years later, he enrolled at Boston's Berklee College of Music where further honed his skills, even as he bristled at the constraints of a formal music education. While at school, he released a few independent albums that showcased the burgeoning influence of Prince, Arthur Russell, Tony! Toni! Toné!, and P.M. Dawn. Leaving school, he moved to Los Angeles, where he began writing more songs (initially collaborating with a creative partner) and adopting the stage name Nourished by Time. After deciding he wanted to go solo, he returned home to Baltimore and in 2023 released his debut full-length album, Erotic Probiotic 2. The record's critical buzz helped Brown sign a deal with the U.K.-based XL Recordings, and in 2024 he returned with the Catching Chickens EP. ~ Matt Collar