DLRN is a Sacramento hip-hop group built around MC 5th Ave (born Sean LaMarr) and producer Jon Reyes, known for an eclectic sound that sits between conscious rap and club rap and for a strong, repeatedly stated dedication to the local Sacramento scene.[1][2] The duo describe their output as "'80s synth-fueled, heart-on-your-sleeve storytelling, backed by drums of hip-hop's Golden Era. Genre, era, & crowd jumping music."[3]
At a glance
- Core members: MC 5th Ave (Sean LaMarr) and producer Jon Reyes; vocalist Iman Malika joined officially as a third member in 2012.[1][4]
- Sacramento group; LaMarr is repeatedly framed as a hometown loyalist and Reyes was born and raised in Sacramento.[1][2]
- Formed roughly 2008; the group says the Neon Noir narrative arc had been developing since it formed "six years ago" (2014).[2]
- Originally named Delorean, shortened to DLRN to avoid conflict with the Spanish band Delorean.[1]
- Released a three-album arc — No More Heroes (2009), The Bridge (2010), Awakenings (2012) — followed by Neon Noir (2014) and a Neon Noir (Deluxe) edition (2015).[1][4][2][5] A further release, Seven Year Itch, also appears in their discography.[6]
Origin, members, and name
DLRN is the project of MC 5th Ave, born Sean LaMarr, and producer Jon Reyes, who have known each other since high school.[1][2] LaMarr and Reyes describe DLRN's music as "retro-fashioned and reactionary," occupying a space "not quite conscious rap and not quite club rap."[1] Their early work was described as alternative hip-hop, and Reyes has framed the group as "an incubator" of their shared experiences and ideas.[2]
According to the Sacramento News & Review, LaMarr and Reyes actually met as teenagers and were in a prior band together before DLRN; after that group disbanded the two stayed in touch and eventually reunited to form DLRN.[7]
The group was originally called Delorean, a name they say reflected being "a product of different time periods and different people."[1] A Spanish trance-pop band already used the Delorean name, so the duo dropped the vowels to become DLRN, citing MGMT and MSTRKRFT as precedents for vowel-less names; Submerge noted Sacramento now had two vowel-less band names with the other being CHLLNGR.[1] They had also briefly considered "Delorean Brown," but found there was already a Delorean Brown in Sacramento.[1]
The DeLorean reference carries additional meaning: according to the News & Review, the name was inspired by the DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future, chosen because the group's '80s-influenced sound recalled the era most associated with that film. Reyes noted that 88.8 mph is the speed required for time travel in the film, tying the DeLorean mythology further into DLRN's identity.[8]
Vocalist Iman Malika made guest appearances on The Bridge (2010) and officially joined DLRN in 2012, making the group a trio.[4]
Local status
DLRN is a local (Sacramento-origin) act. The group is repeatedly identified as "Sacramento's DLRN" and a "Sacramento hip-hop group," and MC 5th Ave is described as loving Sacramento hip-hop and never speaking with a belittling tone toward his hometown.[1][4] Producer Jon Reyes is described as "born and raised in Sacramento" (though by 2014 he had relocated to the Bay Area).[2] LaMarr has called Sacramento "an amazing place to curate and create art" and credited the city with being paramount to his development.[2] Confidence: high.
By 2013 the duo was working remotely across cities — LaMarr in Sacramento and Reyes in San Francisco — exchanging files over the internet. Reyes described their process: "Our whole process initially was just sending files over the computer, and we still kind of do that."[9]
Releases timeline
DLRN conceived its first three releases as a deliberate trilogy; reading the titles in succession (No More Heroes, The Bridge, Awakenings) was said to reveal the group's three-year intentions, with each record planting hints toward the next.[4]
- No More Heroes (2009) — DLRN's debut under the new name, intended to introduce "new heroes" to the hip-hop canon and create an alternate narrative; recorded at Omina Labs.[1]
- The Bridge (2010) — Released July 20, 2010 as a free download; recorded at Pinnacle College in Rancho Cordova (which LaMarr called "sterile" compared with Omina Labs), with the school's students volunteering to help.[1] Guest appearances included Prometheus Brown of Blue Scholars (in the first video), Hopie Spitshard, Illecism, and Chuuwee.[1] A release party was held Aug. 6, 2010 at Beatnik Studios, featuring tequila tasting and free Miller High Life.[1]
- Awakenings (2012) — The final record in the DLRN trilogy; previewed at an invite-only listening party Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012 in the loft space behind Naked Lounge at 15th and Q streets, coinciding with LaMarr's 28th birthday.[4] Tracks discussed include "Fear and Loathing" (featuring Stevie Nadir), "Open Letter," "Homecoming," "Good Company," and "House of Matches"; Reyes' production layered noir-electronic-pop synths over heavy drum breaks.[4]
- Neon Noir (2014) — Released on Waaga Records; a full album split into two parts, with part one set to drop June 3, 2014 with a limited-run cassette and digital version.[2] LaMarr explained Waaga's electronic strength led to an A-side (more electronic) / B-side (more hip-hop) split.[2] Guests included local lyricists and vocalists Young Aundee, Leia Layus, Nami Ramo, and Stevie Nader.[2]
- Neon Noir (Deluxe) (2015) — A distinct release from the original 2014 album, released September 25, 2015.[5] The eight-track edition comprises: "Never Falling (feat. D. Scott)," "Ghost," "Fear & Loathing (feat. Stevie Nader)," "Good Company (feat. Nami Ramo)," "Make You (feat. Stevie Nader & SOOSH*E!)," "David Blaine (feat. Leshanta Perera)," "Bullet Holes (Remix)," and "JTBAK (Just to be a Kid Again)."[5]
- Seven Year Itch — An additional release confirmed in DLRN's Bandcamp discography, beyond the four albums documented in earlier sources.[6]
Sound and influences
DLRN's members describe themselves as storytellers who draw heavily on literature, citing Hunter S. Thompson and Kurt Vonnegut; the track "Fear and Loathing" was inspired by Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and contains a Vonnegut reference ("Everything is beautiful and nothing ever hurt at all").[4][2] LaMarr has said the group has "a great appreciation for the written word. Probably more than the spoken word."[2] By the Neon Noir era their sound was described as part of the "electro-synthed-out" vibe permeating Sacramento's music landscape.[2]
According to the News & Review, Jon Reyes cited Little Dragon and James Blake as moody electro influences, while the Roots, Mos Def, and J Dilla represent the traditional hip-hop side of DLRN's sound.[10]
LaMarr has articulated the group's core artistic philosophy in terms of longevity: "We want to make music that lasts, music that weathers time."[7] He has also spoken of making references "about things that have lasted, that will always be relevant," which he frames as the group's north star.[7]
Videos and visual collaborators
DLRN's videos have been central to its identity. The video for "Dear Langston" drew inspiration from the art of Kehinde Wiley, showcasing Sacramentans in regal poses and featuring iconic Sacramento landmarks (the skyline, the Old Ironsides sign).[1][2] Director Sami Abdou of Upper Cloud Media conceptualized and directed the videos for "Dear Langston," "Reset," "Good Company," and "Fear and Loathing."[2] Submerge named DLRN's "…Fallen Heroes" video (feat. Iman Malika, by Faux Real Productions) #8 in its Top 20 of 2011, praising its "classic Sacto shots."[11]
Scene relationships
5th Ave is credited as the founder of a collective called the Neighborhood Watch, reflecting his dedication to the local scene.[1] DLRN appeared alongside local hip-hop and Sol Collective's World Hood project, sharing Sol Collective's #ArtCultureActivism SxSW showcase in March 2012 with producer/DJ Defeye and national acts.[12] Submerge recognized Neon Noir as #8 on its Top 30 Albums of 2014.[13] By the Neon Noir era the group was exploring label interest and management in Los Angeles, while maintaining that releasing music to Sacramento remained its first priority.[4]