Dan Black

For the baseball player, see Dan Black (baseball).
Dan Black
Background information
Birth name Daniel Black
Born (1976-11-16) 16 November 1976
Origin London, England
Genres
Years active 1998–present
Labels
Associated acts
Website www.danblacksound.com

Dan Black (born 16 November 1976) is a British wonky pop recording artist and record producer from London. He was also a member of alternative rock band The Servant, before their 2007 split. He has also been a guest vocalist for the Italian British group Planet Funk. After releasing his breakthrough song "HYPNTZ", he signed to The:Hours, releasing his first two singles – "Alone" and "Yours" – in 2008. The next year, he released his most commercially successful single to date, "Symphonies".

Career

Early career

Black was originally the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of alternative rock band The Servant. He was a member of the band from their conception in 1998 to their split in 2007.

2008–2012

Debut Single, Debut Album and 'HYPNTZ' Controversy In 2008, Black released a solo single, "HYPNTZ". The song's lyrics were taken from rapper The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize", while its instrumental sampled a cover of "Starman" by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Rihanna's "Umbrella".[5] used. The single received positive reviews, with one critic commenting: "It achieves its magic formula in a manner that is both arbitrary and obvious, which is a part of its brilliance. The Umbrella break + Starman soundtrack + a beautiful melodic rendering of a gangsta rap staple: we know exactly what has been done here, and this is why it sounds so good".[6] However, before a planned music video could be shot, The Notorious B.I.G.'s estate informed Black's team of their objection to the use of the "Hypnotize" lyrics. The "HYPNTZ" single was consequently taken out of circulation and the video scrapped.

Black later signed a deal with The:Hours, releasing two singles, "Alone" and "Yours". He gained further popularity in 2009 when his track "U + Me =" was chosen as the UK iTunes Store's "Free Single of the Week". It was later used as the signature tune for BBC Switch's The Cut. Signing a deal with A&M, his debut album UN was released on 13 July 2009.[7] The album was preceded by a single, "Symphonies", which was released after a successful performance at Glastonbury 2009 in the John Peel Tent. Black also performed on the Freeze:Freesports On 4 main stage at London Battersea Power Station in November that year.[8] Other acts performing at the same event were Friendly Fires and Chase & Status.

"Symphonies" was released as the U.S. iTunes "Single of the Week" for the week of 28 December 2009, and the video was released on iTunes for free for the week of 15 March 2010. UN was released in the United States on 16 February 2010, containing three bonus tracks, including a remix of "Symphonies" with American rapper Kid Cudi.[9] "Symphonies" was serviced to American alternative formatted radio stations in its original version, peaking at #34 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. The "Symphonies" video was nominated for Best Special Effects in a Video and Breakthrough Video at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost in both categories.

"Symphonies" also won the coveted prize "The Christmas Song" in 2010.

Black toured the U.S. and U.K in February 2010, including a showcase performance in March at SXSW 2010 in Austin, Texas.[10] He also performed at Camp nou in 2011, and at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October 2010, and was captured "photobombing" a number of attendees.

In 2011, he was featured on Kaskade's album, Fire and Ice on the track "Ice".

On 31 July 2012, Black released "Raw", a single promoting the new Absolut flavor of vodka, Caipiroska. In 2012, Black's production was featured on American record label GOOD Music's compilation album Cruel Summer, on the song "Creepers", performed by Kid Cudi.

2013–present

Black's second studio album was in the process of being finished with a tentative release date for early/mid-2013 with the lead single dropping early 2013. Black stated the working title is Do Not Revenge". Release date is TBD.

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

EPs

Mixtapes

Singles

Other appearances

Writing and production credits

The following songs and albums were written and/or produced by Black for other artists.

References

  1. ↑ "allmusic". allmusic. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  2. ↑ "Electric dreams for pop in 2009". BBC News. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  3. ↑ Sound of 2009 top 10: One year on BBC, 7 December 2009. BBC News (2009-12-07). Retrieved on 2012-12-22.
  4. ↑ "Ultra Music: Artists". Ultra Music. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Dan Black Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  6. ↑ Niven, Alex. "POP UTOPIA #948". The Fantastic Hope. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  7. ↑ "Review of Dan Black – 'Un'". BBC. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  8. ↑ "Freeze Line Up". Channel 4. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  9. ↑ Author Luis Tovar. "Dan Black "Symphonies" iTunes Single of the Week at PMA". Pretty Much Amazing. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  10. ↑ "Dan Black Offers Tour Dates for Delhi,india; Debut Album & Single Details". TheMusic.FM. 2009-12-16. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  11. ↑ "Dan Black – Album Sampler". Discogs, Sony / ATV Music Publishing, Polydor Ltd (UK). 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Dan Black – Dan Black". Discogs, Sony / ATV Music Publishing, Polydor Ltd (UK). 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "iTunes Live: London Festival '09 - EP". iTunes, Apple Inc., Polydor Ltd. (UK). Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  14. ↑ "Dan Black Weird Science Mixtape". Soundcloud, The Hours. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  15. ↑ Dan Black. billboard.com
  16. ↑ "Kidz In Space - Ghost (feat. Dan Black)". YouTube, Move The Crowd Records. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  17. ↑ "Bag Raiders-Sunlight (Feat Dan Black)". SoundCloud, modularpeople. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  18. ↑ "Dan Black "Raw" Music Video". YouTube, Tristin Rupp, Absolut Vodka. 3 September 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  19. ↑ "Dan Black - Raw (Jimmy Carris Remix)". Vimeo, LWZ, Ultra Music, Absolut Vodka. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  20. ↑ "Toy Spark Gun (feat. Dan Black) - EP - SALM". iTunes, Apple Inc., Salm. Retrieved 9 April 2015.

External links

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