Dan Black
Encyclopedia
Dan Black is a British
wonky pop
artist. 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 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
".
band The Servant
. He was a member of the band from their conception in 1998 to their split in 2007.
's "Hypnotize
", while its instrumental sampled a cover of "Starman" by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
and Rihanna
's "Umbrella
". 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". 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. 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. 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 March 15, 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
. "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.
Black toured the U.S. and Canada in February 2010, including a showcase performance in March at SXSW 2010 in Austin, Texas
. He also performed at Lollapalooza 2010, and at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October 2010, and was captured "photobombing" a number of attendees.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
wonky pop
Wonky Pop
Wonky Pop was a term used to describe a loose grouping of musical acts that played what the BBC called "quirky, catchy and credible pop", rooted in the eccentric side of 1980s pop music, which was briefly popular in the late 2000s...
artist. He was also a member of alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band The Servant
The Servant (band)
The Servant were an English alternative band, formed in London in 1998. They are popular in Britain, France, Italy, as well as other European countries and western Canada....
, before their 2007 split. He has also been a guest vocalist for the Italian group Planet Funk
Planet Funk
Planet Funk is an Italian electronic dance musical ensemble.Members are Sergio Della Monica, Alex Neri, Domenico GG Canu, Marco Baroni, Alex Uhlmann and Alessandro Sommella , in addition to a series of guest singers in collaboration, like Dan Black, Sally Doherty, Raiz and John Graham...
.
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
Symphonies (song)
"Symphonies" is a song by British wonky pop musician Dan Black, released as the first single from his 2009 debut album UN.Evolving from his previous single "HYPNTZ", the track was written, composed, and produced by Black himself...
".
Early career
Black was originally the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of alternative rockAlternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band The Servant
The Servant (band)
The Servant were an English alternative band, formed in London in 1998. They are popular in Britain, France, Italy, as well as other European countries and western Canada....
. He was a member of the band from their conception in 1998 to their split in 2007.
2008-present
In 2008, Black released a solo single, "HYPNTZ". The song's lyrics were taken from rapper The Notorious B.I.G.The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
's "Hypnotize
Hypnotize (The Notorious B.I.G. song)
"Hypnotize" is the Grammy-nominated hip-hop song recorded by rapper The Notorious B.I.G. It was released as the first single from his album Life After Death in December 13, 1996. It was the fifth song to hit #1 posthumously for a credited artist....
", while its instrumental sampled a cover of "Starman" by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra is a professional, philharmonic symphony orchestra, over 61 years old, predominantly it is composed of Czech and Slovak classical and jazz musicians...
and Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's "Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
". 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". 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
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
's "Free Single of the Week". It was later used as the signature tune for BBC Switch
BBC Switch
BBC Switch was the brand for BBC content aimed at UK teenagers. The brand launched on Saturday 20 October 2007 on BBC Two And ceased broadcasting on Saturday 17 December 2010...
's The Cut. Signing a deal with A&M
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
, his debut album UN
UN (Dan Black album)
-Critical reception:Critical response to the album has been mixed, with some critics praising Black's blend of sounds and others criticizing his lack of originality. According to Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album holds a score of...
was released on 13 July 2009. The album was preceded by a single, "Symphonies
Symphonies (song)
"Symphonies" is a song by British wonky pop musician Dan Black, released as the first single from his 2009 debut album UN.Evolving from his previous single "HYPNTZ", the track was written, composed, and produced by Black himself...
", which was released after a successful performance at Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
2009 in the John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
Tent. Black also performed on the Freeze:Freesports On 4 main stage at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Battersea Power Station
Battersea Power Station
Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal-fired power station located on the south bank of the River Thames, in Battersea, South London. The station comprises two individual power stations, built in two stages in the form of a single building. Battersea A Power Station was built first in the...
in November that year. Other acts performing at the same event were Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires are an English band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to XL Recordings. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008 and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.-History:Friendly Fires...
and Chase & Status
Chase & Status
Chase & Status are an electronic music production duo from London consisting of Saul Milton and Will Kennard. MC Rage & Andy Gangadeen also make up the live band.-2003-2005:...
.
"Symphonies
Symphonies (song)
"Symphonies" is a song by British wonky pop musician Dan Black, released as the first single from his 2009 debut album UN.Evolving from his previous single "HYPNTZ", the track was written, composed, and produced by Black himself...
" 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 March 15, 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
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi , better known by his stage name Kid Cudi , sometimes stylized KiD CuDi, is an American rapper, singer and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite" reached the top five of the...
. "Symphonies" was serviced to American alternative formatted radio stations in its original version, peaking at #34 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Alternative Songs chart. The "Symphonies" video was nominated for Best Special Effects in a Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Special Effects in a Video....
and Breakthrough Video at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
2010 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 12, 2010 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year...
, but lost in both categories.
Black toured the U.S. and Canada in February 2010, including a showcase performance in March at SXSW 2010 in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. He also performed at Lollapalooza 2010, and at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October 2010, and was captured "photobombing" a number of attendees.
Singles
- "Alone" (2008)
- "Yours" (2008)
- "HYPNTZ" (2008) (limited release)
- "SymphoniesSymphonies (song)"Symphonies" is a song by British wonky pop musician Dan Black, released as the first single from his 2009 debut album UN.Evolving from his previous single "HYPNTZ", the track was written, composed, and produced by Black himself...
" (2009) - "Symphonies" (Remix, feat. Kid CudiKid CudiScott Ramon Seguro Mescudi , better known by his stage name Kid Cudi , sometimes stylized KiD CuDi, is an American rapper, singer and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite" reached the top five of the...
) (2010) #34 Billboard Alternative Songs - "Sunlight" (with Bag Raiders) (2010)