Swarvy

Los Angeles houses beatmaker and multi-instrumentalist Swarvy, whose output spans abstract hip-hop alongside jazzy funk textures. Ringgo Ancheta, known professionally as close friend Mndsgn, has joined him on numerous projects, while Swarvy has also produced, performed, or mastered material for Busdriver, Quelle Chris, Makaya McCraven, Ras G, and many additional artists. Releases pairing him with vocalists include full-lengths alongside Pink Siifu, Suzi Analogue, and Lojii, whereas his solo catalog stretches from the fractured beat collages of the 2015 Stunts series to the smooth, hazy funk of 2020’s Sunny Days Blue.

Mark Sweeney, born in the Philadelphia region, began issuing digital albums and EPs in 2011, among them a joint effort with fellow producer Sir Froderick under the name SWEENeYFROD. After Mndsgn, then living in nearby New Jersey, scheduled Swarvy for a performance, the pair quickly became close. Their first joint venture arrived in 2014 when Swarvy and producer/vocalist Suzi Analogue completed the cassette Love Affairz V.1 for her Never Normal imprint. Swiss label Feelin’ Music soon pressed his debut vinyl LP, Scotch; shortly thereafter Swarvy relocated to Los Angeles and shared a residence with Mndsgn and rapper Zeroh. Rap Vacation put out the 2015 beat tape Superfoods, and early the following year a double LP titled Stunts, Vols. 1-4 collected earlier digital installments. New Math Records released Twothousandnine, a collaboration with rapper Pink Siifu, while Leaving Records issued Elderberry, featuring guest spots from Kiefer and Josh Hey.

Fresh Selects offered the 2017 full-length Due Rent, recorded with rapper Lojii. Instrumental LP Bop and the 2018 set Anti-Anxiety, the latter containing appearances by Koreatown Oddity, Jeremiah Jae, Zeroh, and others, both appeared via Paxico Records. That same year Swarvy and Versis, another Anti-Anxiety contributor, formed the duo Tokayo and delivered their self-titled debut on Akashik Records. Swarvy has kept up his Blends series, issuing Raw Daybreaks Vol. 2 with Liv.e in 2018 and Due Rent [Blends] with Lojii in 2020. Black Focus Records released Sunny Days Blue, a concise collection of atmospheric funk pieces performed by Swarvy, in 2020.