Audiopile Review: Marcus Brown, the unique voice and producer behind the Nourished by Time moniker, is back with his XL Recordings debut to prove that the explosive success of 2023’s “Erotic Probiotic 2” wasn’t a one time deal. Much like its predecessor, “Catching Chickens” forges elements of 90s R&B, pop, hip-hop, and funk to help realize Brown’s eclectic, idiosyncratic vision. Across the EP’s five distinct tracks, we are treated to euphoric dancefloor ready anthems, dreamy pop excursions and emotive throwback Bone Thugs-esque balladry, all heaped with layers of bright, 80s-tinged synths that add generous fills of color and texture, complementing Brown’s charismatic delivery. “Catching Chickens” evokes the genre-defying spark we saw in Andre 3000 with “The Love Below,” coupled with the DIY ambition found in much of Prince’s timeless work. Brown definitely isn’t running out of ideas, and his success in 2023 wasn’t a fluke; if anything, this EP is proof that Nourished by Time is only just getting started.

Nourished By Time follows up his 2023 critically-acclaimed, breakout album Erotic Probiotic 2 with his debut EP on XL Recordings: Catching Chickens, set for physical release on May 3rd. Written between 2022 – 2023 in his home studio in Baltimore, and along his world travels this past year, Catching Chickens is derived from the film Rocky, and the iconic scene in which Rocky’s trainer makes him chase and catch a flock of chickens as a test of agility. With tracks like “Hell of a Ride,” in which Nourished By Time contemplates the fall of the American empire and late-stage capitalism loneliness, and “Hand on Me,” which traces the paranoia from distrust in a post-traumatic world, Nourished By Time chronicles his own test of agility as he weaves through the motions of his newfound notability.