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Clarence Clarity

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Clarence Clarity
Birth nameAdam Mark Crisp
BornLondon, England
Genres
Instruments
Years active2012–present
Labels
Websiteclarenceclarity.com

Adam Mark Crisp (born c. 1985), known by the stage name Clarence Clarity, is an English singer, songwriter, producer and musician.[2] He has been praised for his unique, eclectic pop sound which was described by The Guardian as "funk played by a swarm of bees".[2] In addition to his own music he has produced for acts including Rina Sawayama, Dorian Electra, and Sundara Karma.

Background

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Crisp was born in London and raised in Yateley and Fleet, Hampshire.[3][4] He played with several bands and under several aliases prior to Clarence Clarity, mostly known for his releases with the band Elle Milano from the mid-to-late 2000s, and his work under the name Entrepreneurs until the early 2010s.[5][6] Elle Milano broke up in 2008 after the death of Crisp's mother,[7] while the Entrepreneurs name was retired in favour of Clarence Clarity.

Early into his career as Clarence Clarity, Crisp was noted for his high degree of anonymity, preferring not to talk about his previous work and giving false and absurd information in press releases, such as stating that he was from Fiji, that he ate mud or that he was 7 feet tall;[8][9] this misinformation led to rumours, such that his music was a new Jai Paul project.[10] When asked about this by The Guardian, he replied with "I've got a musical history, and I suppose I don't want to have to justify why certain things in the past haven't taken off. I've wiped the slate clean a couple of times. It all feels necessary to have got here."[11][12][13] Despite the similarity, Crisp has stated that his stage name was not overtly influenced by the meme template 'Sudden Clarity Clarence'.[14]

Career

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Previous Projects: 2002–2012

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Psirens: 2002–2004

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Psirens was a band formed in 2002 by Crisp and James Headley.[15] It quickly splintered into several other bands, and was soon retired as a project.[16]

Elle Milano: 2004–2008

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Elle Milano was formed in 2004,[17] as one of the bands formed from the members of Psirens.[15] It consisted of Crisp, Headley, and Chloe Dunford.[18] They released an EP, three singles, and their only album Acres Of Dead Space Cadets on Brighton Electric.[18][19] After the release of Acres in 2008, the band went on tour, but cancelled most of the shows early into the tour.[20] Soon after, the band announced their split, releasing a final EP off-label onto their Myspace.[7][21][20]

Entrepreneurs, The Premarital Sect, The Super-Ego and FOE: 2008–2012

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Following the disbanding of Elle Milano, Crisp began producing electronica under the name Entrepreneurs.[6] Under Entrepreneurs, he began working with the label Stella Mortos,[22] releasing the double A-side single "Hunting Roger Rabbit / Six Severed Hates".[23] On 10 August 2010, he released the EP Uv Been Robbed (Joking, But Not) independently on Bandcamp.[24] He released another double A-side, "Bubblegunk / Fuck Tactics", on London label Fear & Records in 2011.[25][26]

Crisp produced music with vocalist Hannah Lou Clark under the name FOE,[27][28] providing production for her 2012 album, Bad Dream Hotline.[29] Around this time he was also involved in a punk band, The Premarital Sect, and produced hip-hop instrumentals under the name The Super-Ego using Ableton Live.[30] He also mastered 7" single "Good Girl / Amazing Discovery" for Surrey six-piece Wildeflower in 2012.[31][32]

Clarence Clarity: 2012–Present

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His first release under the name "Clarence Clarity" was 4GODSLUV[33] in 2012,[34] and he subsequently released his debut EP Save †hyself on the 37 Adventures label in late 2013. In December 2014, Clarity released his second EP, Who Am Eye, now on the Bella Union label. The EP cover featured his face (albeit with a distorted mouth), serving as the first time he had shown his face under the name.[8][35] In March 2015, he released his first full-length album, No Now, and also performed a session at Maida Vale Studios for Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1.[36] In 2016, Clarity released a single with Pizza Boy, "Splitting Hairs", and the SAME EP, which consists of the titular track "SAME" repeated 5 times.[37]

During 2017, Clarity helped produce Rina Sawayama's debut mini-album, Rina.[38] He also began releasing singles with minimal or no advertising, such as "Fold 'Em"[39] and "Naysayer Godslayer".[40] He continued this trend into 2018, as it was revealed that he was working on a project which was widely believed to be called Leave Earth. In September 2018, the album title was revealed to be labelled Think: Peace,[41] and was released independently on his Deluxe Pain label on 4 October 2018.[42] This album featured many of the previously released singles in remixed forms. Clarity also revealed that Leave Earth was actually a compilation playlist consisting of all his singles released from 2016 to 2018,[43] and continued to release singles for this playlist in pairs up until 31 December that year, finishing by releasing "Leave Earth"[44] and "Sob Story".[45]

In March 2020, Clarity released an ambient album, Dead Screen Scrolls, as a pay-what-you-want on Bandcamp;[46] only an hour prior announcing an album was to be released for the first Bandcamp Friday (where all processing fees were to be waived for a day).[47][48] Later in 2020, on 5 June, Clarity announced that he was releasing the mixtape Aerobic Exercise for the next 24 hours only, donating the proceeds to charity as it was a Bandcamp Friday.[49] He would later put the mixtape back up for purchase permanently,[50] alongside a second mixtape, Your Wrong, to coincide with the Bandcamp Friday in February 2021.[51]

Clarity was the primary producer of Rina Sawayama's debut album, Sawayama which released in April 2020 to critical acclaim.[52] Later that year, he also co-produced the songs "Iron Fist" and "Give Great Thanks" for Dorian Electra's second album My Agenda,[53][54] and produced the entirety of Sundara Karma's fourth EP, Kill Me.[55]

During a Reddit AMA in 2019, Clarity announced the title of his next album would be Midieval Europe. He also said that the project would be much shorter than his previous albums.[56] In an April 2021 interview with Sonemic, Clarity stated that the project would not be titled Midieval Europe and that it would be released in three parts: an extended play followed by an album and another extended play.[57] The first of these, Vanishing Act I: No Nouns, released in September 2021.[58] Additionally in 2021, Clarity produced Rina Sawayama's cover of the song "Enter Sandman" for the charity compilation The Metallica Blacklist,[59] and collaborated with her on a remix of the Lady Gaga song "Free Woman" for Gaga's remix album, Dawn of Chromatica.[60]

In 2022, Clarity provided production for Sundara Karma's fifth EP, Oblivion![61] He also released the instrumentals to Vanishing Act I on 17 March,[62] and released the sequel to his 2021 mixtape Your Wrong, titled Your Wrong To, to coincide with that May's Bandcamp Friday.[63]

On September 20th, 2024, Clarence Clarity announced his third album, VANISHING ACT II: ULTIMATE REALITY, for release on October 4th.

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album Details
No Now
Think: Peace
  • Released: 4 October 2018[42]
  • Label: Deluxe Pain
  • Formats: Digital download
Vanishing Act II: Ultimate Reality
  • Released: 4 October 2024

Mixtapes

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Title Mixtape Details
Dead Screen Scrolls (Ambient Works, Vol. 1)
  • Released: 20 March 2020[46]
  • Label: Deluxe Pain
  • Formats: Digital download
Aerobic Exorcise
  • Released: 5 June 2020[65]
  • Label: Self-Released
  • Formats: Digital download
Your Wrong
  • Released: 5 February 2021
  • Label: Self-Released
  • Formats: Digital download
Your Wrong To
  • Released: 6 May 2022
  • Label: Self-Released
  • Formats: Digital download
Your3 Wrong
  • Released: 3 August 2023
  • Label: Self-Released
  • Formats: Digital download

Extended plays

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Title EP Details
Save Thyself
  • Released: 17 September 2013
  • Label: 37 Adventures
  • Formats: Digital download, 12" Single
Who Am Eye
  • Released: 2 December 2014
  • Label: Bella Union
  • Formats: Digital download, 12" Single
Vanishing Act I: No Nouns
  • Released: 23 September 2021
  • Label: Deluxe Pain
  • Formats: Digital download
Vanishing Act III
  • Released: TBA

Compilations

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Title Compilation Details
Leave Earth (2016-2018)
  • Released: 31 December 2018
  • Label: Deluxe Pain / Self-Released
  • Formats: Digital download

Singles

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Title Year Album
"4GODSLUV" 2012 Non-album singles
"KADYクソPERRY"
"Alive in the Septic Tank" 2013 Save Thyself
"The Gospel Truth"
"Those Who Can't, Cheat" 2014 Who Am Eye
"Buck-Toothed Particle Smashers" (ft. Kill J) 2015 No Now
"Will to Believe"
"Cancer™ In The Water" (A.J. Crew edit) 2016 Non-album singles
"Splitting Hairs" (ft. Pizza Boy)
"Vapid Feels Are Vapid" Think:Peace
"Same"
"Now I Am Become Death" (Vocal Version) Non-album singles
"W€ CHANG€" 2017 Think: Peace
"Fold 'Em" (ft. Shadi)
"Naysayer Godslayer"
"Next Best Thing" 2018
"Adam & The Evil" (ft. Pizza Boy)
"Your Secrets" (with Kai Whiston) Kai Whiston Bitch
"Rafters" (ft. A.J. Crew) Leave Earth
"1985"
"Telenovela"
"Del Rey Dreamhouse"
"Untrust In Us Together"
"Anthropic Principles"
"Bipolar Rainbows"
"Deafening Red"
"Sob Story"
"Leave Earth"

Songwriting and production credits

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Title Year Artist Album
"Ballad for the Brainkeepers" 2012 FOE Bad Dream Hotline
"Mother May I?"
"Jailhouse"
"Tyrant Song"
"A Handsome Stranger Called Death"
"Get Money"
"The Black Lodge"
"Genie in a Coke Can"
"Ode to Janey Lou"
"Dance & Weep"
"Cold Hard Rock"
"Bad Dream Hotline"
"Valentine (What's It Gonna Be?)" 2018 Rina Sawayama Non-album single
"Ordinary Superstar" Rina
"Cyber Stockholm Syndrome"
"Alterlife"
"10-20-40"
"Take Me as I Am"
"Time Out (Interlude)"
"Cherry" Non-album singles
"Flicker"
"Mannequin" HMLTD Hate Music Last Time Delete EP
"Apple of My Eye"
"Thirsty (For Love)" 2020 Dorian Electra Non-album single
"Dynasty" Rina Sawayama Sawayama
"XS"
"STFU!"
"Akasaka Sad"
"Paradisin'"
"Fuck This World (Interlude)"
"Snakeskin"
"Give Great Thanks" Dorian Electra My Agenda
"Kill Me" Sundara Karma Kill Me
"O Stranger"
"YOUR TOUCH"
"Artifice"
"Lifelines"
"Minor Feelings" 2022 Rina Sawayama Hold the Girl
"This Hell"
"Catch Me in the Air"
"Forgiveness"
"Your Age"
"Imagining"
"Frankenstein"
"Hurricanes"
"Phantom"
"Flavour of the Month"
"Symphony" 2023 Dorian Electra Fanfare
"Freak Mode"
"anon"
"Wanna Be a Star"

Remixes

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Title Year Artist
"Faith" 2014 I Break Horses
"Ladders" 2015 Archive
"Midnight Sun" Kate Boy
"Heartbreak Hi" 2016 Avec Sans
"Gone" 2019 Charli XCX and Christine and the Queens
"Free Woman"[66] 2021 Lady Gaga, Rina Sawayama

References

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  1. ^ "'THINK: PEACE' is R&B Eccentric Clarence Clarity's poppiest record yet". Ballstate Daily. 18 October 2018. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Clarence Clarity (No 35)". The Guardian. 12 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  3. ^ Entrepreneurs (No 970). The Guardian (2011-02-17). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  4. ^ Hannah Shark sings for South:Live. BBC. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  5. ^ "Entrepreneurs". DIY. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Interview: Entrepreneurs". Crack in the Road. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Elle Milano Split". Clash Magazine. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Clarence Clarity". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  9. ^ Dunn, Francesca (19 February 2015). "2, 4, 6, 8… we appreciate clarence clarity". i-D. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  10. ^ Dunn, Francesca (19 February 2015). "2, 4, 6, 8… we appreciate clarence clarity". I-D. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  11. ^ McQuaid, Ian (3 January 2015). "Clarence Clarity: 'I feel too normal'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  12. ^ "Clarence Clarity". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  13. ^ Subscribe (11 December 2014). "Clarence Clarity: The man, the mystery". DIY. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  14. ^ "TND Podcast #19 ft. Clarence Clarity" – via www.youtube.com.
  15. ^ a b "Gezoontheit at The Nest, London". RA. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  16. ^ "psirens presents". Angelfire. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  17. ^ "Elle Milano Tour". Glasswerk. 21 April 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  18. ^ a b Acres Of Dead Space Cadets (album). Elle Milano. Brighton Electric. 2008. btnlp01.
  19. ^ "Elle Milano". DrownedInSound. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  20. ^ a b "MySpace.com - ELLE MILANO (2004-2008) - The Gates Of Hell, UK - Tropical / Flamenco / Tango - www.myspace.com/ellemilano". 14 December 2008. Archived from the original on 14 December 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  21. ^ "Elle Milano reviews, music, news - sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  22. ^ "Stella Mortos Launch: Entrepreneurs, Foe, Pettre at The Macbeth, London". RA. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  23. ^ Mortos, Stella. "SEMORT-1: Entrepreneurs - Hunting Roger Rabbit / Six Severed Hates". Stella Mortos. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  24. ^ "Entrepreneurs". 19 July 2010. Archived from the original on 19 July 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  25. ^ Approved: Entrepreneurs. Complete Music Update (2011-03-01). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  26. ^ "New band of the day – No 970: Entrepreneurs". the Guardian. 17 February 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  27. ^ Foe (No 1,003). The Guardian (2001-04-12). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  28. ^ Foe On Her Past, Present & Future…. Repeat Fanzine (August 2011). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  29. ^ FOE – Bad Dream Hotline. The Skinny (2012-01-25). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  30. ^ Entrepreneurs. DIY Magazine (2011-04-07). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  31. ^ Adam M. Crisp. Discogs. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  32. ^ FOE (8). Discogs. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  33. ^ "4GODSLUV". YouTube. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  34. ^ Subscribe (11 December 2014). "Clarence Clarity: The man, the mystery". DIY. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  35. ^ "Clarence Clarity announces WHO AM EYE EP, streams first track". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  36. ^ Subscribe (25 March 2015). "Clarence Clarity plays Maida Vale session for Radio 1". DIY. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  37. ^ "SAME EP - Clarence Clarity". SoundCloud.com. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  38. ^ "Rina Sawayama and Clarence Clarity team up for haywire anthem "Alterlife"". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  39. ^ "Clarence Clarity teases second record Leave Earth with tormented-soul single "Fold 'Em"". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  40. ^ ""Naysayer Godslayer" is the new deranged R&B jam from Clarence Clarity". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  41. ^ Clarity, Clarence (4 September 2018). "My 2nd album is called THINK: PEACE and it will be out in one month". @clarenceclarity. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  42. ^ a b THINK: PEACE, archived from the original on 10 February 2019, retrieved 9 February 2019
  43. ^ Clarity, Clarence (4 October 2018). "Leave Earth". @clarenceclarity. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  44. ^ Leave Earth, 31 December 2018, archived from the original on 9 February 2019, retrieved 9 February 2019
  45. ^ Sob Story, 31 December 2018, archived from the original on 9 February 2019, retrieved 9 February 2019
  46. ^ a b "DEAD SCREEN SCROLLS | Clarence Clarity". Bandcamp. 20 March 2020. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  47. ^ Clarity, Clarence (20 March 2020). "I've been waiting for the right time to release an ambient album. Today is that day". @clarenceclarity. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  48. ^ "I dont want anyone to have to pay for this". Twitter. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  49. ^ "It's @bandcamp fee-waiver day". Twitter. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  50. ^ "AEROBIC EXORCISE, by Clarence Clarity". Clarence Clarity. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  51. ^ "NEW beat tape/instrumental album out at midnight PST (8am GMT)". Twitter. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  52. ^ "Rina Sawayama Announces Tour and Debut Album, Shares New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. 17 January 2020. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  53. ^ "Dorian Electra's new single "Give Great Thanks" is one for the subs". The FADER. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  54. ^ "Credits for Clarence Clarity on TIDAL". TIDAL. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  55. ^ "Sundara Karma on the depression and desire behind explosive new single 'Kill Me' and its Hannah Diamond-directed video". NME. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  56. ^ "r/indieheads - CLARENCE CLARITY - HI! ASK ME ANYTHING". reddit. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  57. ^ "Sonemic Interview: Clarence Clarity". Rate Your Music. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  58. ^ "Clarence Clarity on Twitter: "VANISHING ACT I : NO NOUNS 23 SEPTEMBER 2021". Twitter. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  59. ^ Daw, Stephen (26 August 2021). "Rina Sawayama Heads to Never Never Land With Rollicking Cover of Metallica's 'Enter Sandman'". Billboard. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  60. ^ "Lady Gaga Announces New Chromatica Remix Album". Pitchfork. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  61. ^ "Sundara Karma announce new 'Oblivion!' EP and share title track". NME. 11 February 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  62. ^ "VANISHING ACT I: NO NOUNS (INSTRUMENTALS), by Clarence Clarity". Clarence Clarity. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  63. ^ "YOUR WRONG TO, by Clarence Clarity". Clarence Clarity. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  64. ^ "ALBUM BIO: Clarence Clarity - NO NOW [Bella Union] (Out Monday, 2 March 2015)". Mushroom Promotions. 8 February 2015. Archived from the original on 16 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  65. ^ "AEROBIC EXORCISE, by Clarence Clarity". Clarence Clarity. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  66. ^ Darville, Jordan (30 August 2021). "Lady Gaga shares Dawn Of Chromatica remix album release date, tracklist". The Fader. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
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