It’s not uncommon for artists to talk up their range and flexibility but you’d be hard pressed to find an artist who embodies those traits as well as Adrian Croom. An Austin-based veteran of beat battles who also found time to drum in the Beach-House-meet-the-Cramps duo Virgin Shores, an ambient sensualist performing with modern dancers while also curating an electro-pop album featuring an eclectic array of gifted women vocalists–Adrian Croom is all this and more. But what remains consistent in Croom’s work is his passion for exploring new sounds and his unwillingness to ever rest on his laurels.
After achieving success as a composer with credits ranging from the From Dusk Till Dawn TV show to ESPN and UFC, Croom set out to make an album showcasing his skills as a producer with a taste for darkwave and minimalist electro. Featuring the vocal talents of an international roster of artists, including Amakiya (a.k.a. Chantell Moody of Golden Dawn Arkestra, Fort Never, and formerly The Digital Wild) , Allanah Maarteen (from PJ Harvey-esque indie rock outfit Imitari) and the Berlin-based experimental musician Audriana Acuña, Croom’s upcoming album Belladonna is his most remarkable work yet, a hybrid of film score grandiosity, post-punk moodiness and electro-pop hooks. Anchoring it is the masterful mixing work of Dylan Cameron (S U R V I V E, Troller), with his knack for bringing out exquisite and impactful bass without cluttering the haunting vocals and Grammy-nominated masterer Chris Athens (Drake, N*E*R*D, Kelis).
Croom is also honing his live show in preparation for Belladonna’s release, bringing improvised video synth abstraction and collages into the mix and a revolving cast of guest vocalists and dancers. Over the past year, he has shared stages with artists as diverse as Naked Giants, Sextile, BLXPLTN, Blastfamous USA, Moodie Black, Brainwavve and more. As if that wasn’t enough, Croom is also composing the score for The Initiation, starring American Horror Story’s Naomi Grossman. 2019 is set to be a breakout year for Adrian Croom, boosting him from a gifted and adventurous secret weapon to a can’t miss force of nature.
Listen to the new album Belladonna now