Nourished by Time

Singer and songwriter Marcus Brown, performing under the name Nourished by Time, crafts an idiosyncratic sound that fuses lo-fi indie pop, hip-hop, synthy post-punk, and the swinging grooves of 1990s new jack swing. His delivery carries a wry philosophical edge, while his lyrics balance introspective slow jams with pointed reflections on consumerism and capitalism. Those qualities defined both his 2023 debut album Erotic Probiotic 2 and the 2024 EP Catching Chickens.

Raised in Baltimore, Brown absorbed his parents’ collection of classic hip-hop, jazz, and 1990s R&B from an early age. Although basketball initially claimed most of his attention, a video of Slash trading solos with Michael Jackson prompted him to pick up the guitar at fifteen. Hendrix’s albums soon followed. Two years after that discovery he entered Boston’s Berklee College of Music, sharpening his technique even as he resisted the rigidity of academic training. During those years he issued several independent releases that already reflected the growing sway of Prince, Arthur Russell, Tony! Toni! Toné!, and P.M. Dawn.

After leaving school he relocated to Los Angeles, where he began writing songs—first alongside a creative partner—before settling on the moniker Nourished by Time. Choosing to work alone, he moved back to Baltimore and issued his first full-length album, Erotic Probiotic 2, in 2023. The resulting acclaim led to a contract with the U.K.-based XL Recordings, and he followed the album with the Catching Chickens EP the next year.