Nourished by Time

Marcus Elliot Brown, known professionally as Nourished by Time, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Baltimore, Maryland.^[1] Blending lo-fi synth-pop, post-punk textures and early-’90s R&B, Brown received widespread critical notice for his 2023 debut album Erotic Probiotic 2, which was awarded Best New Music by Pitchfork.^[2] Follow-up releases—the Catching Chickens EP (2024) and album The Passionate Ones (2025)—mark his move to XL Recordings and have cemented his reputation as “a DIY pop star who turns every limitation into an asset.”^[3]

Nourished by Time
Birth name	Marcus Elliot Brown
Born	Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Genres	Alternative R&B synth-pop indie electronic
Occupations	Singer songwriter producer
Years active	2020–present
Labels	Scenic Route XL

Early life and education

Brown grew up in Baltimore, listening to his parents’ hip-hop, jazz and ’90s R&B collection.^[1] At age 15 he began playing guitar after seeing Slash perform with Michael Jackson, later citing Jimi Hendrix as an early influence.^[1] He played trumpet and percussion in his high-school marching and jazz bands before enrolling at the Berklee College of Music at 17.^[1] Brown has said songwriter-in-residence Pat Pattison was “the only professor who let me be weird.”^[4]

Career

2019–2022: Early projects

While living in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, Brown self-released music under the aliases Riley With Fire and Mother Marcus.^[1] He adopted Nourished by Time in 2020, describing it as “a mantra about staying consistent.”^[1]

2023: Erotic Probiotic 2

Recorded in his parents’ basement during COVID-19 lockdowns, Erotic Probiotic 2 mixed freestyle, dream-pop and Baltimore club.^[2] The record earned Best New Music from Pitchfork (score 8.2) and appeared in year-end lists by Paste, The Guardian and Gorilla vs. Bear.^[2][5]

Brown spent much of 2023 on tour, supporting London post-punk band Dry Cleaning across North America and remixing their single “Gary Ashby.”^[6] He also appeared on “Happy,” a track from Yaeji’s debut album With a Hammer.^[7]

2024: Catching Chickens EP

In February 2024 Brown signed to XL Recordings, announcing the five-track EP Catching Chickens and sharing the single “Hand on Me.”^[8] The EP—named after a scene in Rocky II—was released digitally on March 22, 2024, and on vinyl that May.^[3]

2025: The Passionate Ones

Brown’s second full-length, The Passionate Ones, was released on August 22, 2025 via XL, preceded by the singles “Max Potential” and “9 2 5.”^[9] A 25-date North-American and European tour in support of the album begins in September 2025.^[10]

Musical style and influences

Critics describe Brown’s music as “genre-bending” and “metamodernist,” merging lo-fi indie pop, hip-hop, synthy post-punk and ’90s new jack swing.^[3] His cited influences include Arthur Russell, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Prince, SWV and producer PM Dawn; lyrically he often addresses class politics and late-stage capitalism.^[2][1]

Discography

Studio albums

• Erotic Probiotic 2 (2023, Scenic Route)^[2]
• The Passionate Ones (2025, XL)^[11]

EPs

• Catching Chickens (2024, XL)^[3]

Selected singles

• “The Fields” (2023)
• “Hand on Me” (2024)
• “9 2 5” (2025)

Guest appearances

• Yaeji – “Happy” on With a Hammer (2023)

Remixes

• Dry Cleaning – “Gary Ashby (Nourished by Time Remix)” (2023)