Wise Blood (musician)

Wise Blood is the stage name of producer, performer, and songwriter Chris Laufman. He has released two albums, three EP's, and a mixtape. His work is largely sample-based and electronic.

Career

2010–2013: early career and ''Id''

Chris Laufman released his first project as Wise Blood, +, in 2010. A video for the song "B.I.G. E.G.O." premiered later that year featuring Daphne Guinness. Following the reception of his debut EP he was the subject of a ''Pitchfork'' profile which focused on his unique approach to songwriting. Laufman would subsequently release another Wise Blood EP, ''These Wings'', in 2011 along with the single "Loud Mouths". In support of the release he performed at SXSW and played in-studio at BBC Radio 1. He gained attention for his energetic and aggressive live shows, as well as for his conflicted relationship with Catholicism. His music was particularly noted for its incorporation of samples, a process which he further expanded on in an interview with ''The New York Times'' in 2011. Laufman contributed a cover of the song "Someday" by the Strokes to ''Stereogum'' "STROKED: A Tribute to ''Is This It''".

In 2013 Wise Blood released his debut album ''Id''. A trailer for the album was released featuring Dog the Bounty Hunter. Its first single, "Rat", premiered on Pitchfork. Speaking to ''Fact'' Laufman revealed that his tumultuous personal life and struggle with conceptualizing the album had contributed to its delay. In an MTV profile he expanded on his personal issues as well as revealed the different influences that inspired the record including John Waters. In their review of the album '' Consequence of Sound'' noted its similarities to Animal Collective and declared that "Laufman's genre collaging and quirky point of view make ''Id'' a compelling listen".

2013–present: songwriting, production, and ''Greatest Hits''

Following the release of ''Id'' Laufman's output consisted primarily of songwriting and production. He is credited as a contributing songwriter to Partynextdoor's eponymous self-titled debut EP '' Partynextdoor'' for the song "Wild Bitches" which contains elements of the Wise Blood track "Loud Mouths". Laufman also began working with Pittsburgh drag queen The Moon Baby. In 2014 they released the song "Bae Sick" on ''Dazed''. Their debut EP ''Urallpoor.us'' premiered on ''Vice''-run music site Noisey. They have continued to work together on subsequent releases.

In 2014, Wise Blood also released a conceptual mixtape titled ''Get 'Em'' using samples that were not able to be cleared for his debut album ''Id''. Laufman explained the inspiration for the release and artistic process he took in creating the mixtape to ''The Fader'' as such; "'I wanted to do it after I watched my cousin download a movie on an iPad, watch it on T.V. then record some of the movie for a Vine", he says, "I like that the original material is literally traveling from device to device and then ending up back where it started but now it has some fucking mileage on it'". A video for the track "Helter Shelter" from the mixtape was released the previous year.

In 2019, Laufman released the album ''Greatest Hits'' under his own name. He revealed that the album was a collection of material from the past 7 years that dealt with his struggle with mental health and substance abuse issues that he had recently been addressing for the first time in his life. In his review of the album, Randall Colburn of ''The A.V. Club'' noted that it "veers—often wildly—between straightforward if decidedly off-kilter, pop ("Graceland", "When You Need Somebody") and tactile mood pieces that swallow Laufman whole in a maelstrom of delicately arranged samples ("Dope Swinger", "Soak Up the Sun")."

In 2022, Laufman released the EP ''Strain at a Gnat'' under the name C. Moore Laufman.

Discography

Studio albums

* ''Greatest Hits'' (Future Gods 2019)
* ''Id'' (Dovecote Records 2012)

EPs

* ''Strain at a Gnat'' (Cretin's Club 2022)
* ''Urallpoor.us'' (with The Moon Baby) (Future Gods 2014)
* ''These Wings'' (Dovecote Records 2011)
* ''+'' (self-released 2010)

Mixtapes

* ''Get 'Em'' (self-released 2014)

Singles

* "Rat" (2012)
* "Loud Mouths" (2011)
* "Solo (4 Claire) / "Rot My Brain Away" (2010)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blood, Wise
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
American male singer-songwriters
American record producers
American electronic musicians
American experimental musicians
Singers from Pittsburgh
Experimental pop musicians
Gospel blues musicians
Singer-songwriters from Pennsylvania