Kris Crummett is a Portland, Oregon-based record producer and engineer who became a recurring studio collaborator for Sacramento post-hardcore and progressive bands in the early 2010s, recording releases for A Lot Like Birds and Slaves among others.[1][2][3] Though not from the Sacramento region, his work at his Portland studio repeatedly shaped the recorded sound of the city's post-hardcore scene.
Born Kristofer Crummett on November 19, 1982, in Hillsboro, Oregon, he quit his job as a City Park Landscaper to focus on music production and founded Interlace Audio in 2002.[4] According to Wikipedia, in Interlace Audio's first year (2002–2003) Crummett produced records for Anatomy of a Ghost, Fear Before the March of Flames, Crosstide, and LKN, establishing it as "an instant hit amongst post-hardcore and emo artists."[4] Over his career he has worked with labels including Rise Records, Epitaph Records, Fearless Records, Sumerian Records, Equal Vision Records, and Sony Japan.[4]
At a glance
- Based in Portland, Oregon; works out of Interlace Audio there.[2]
- Known for producing/engineering Alesana, Jonny Craig and Dance Gavin Dance prior to his Sacramento-band work.[5]
- Recorded two Dance Gavin Dance albums: the 2008 self-titled record and 2009's Happiness.[1]
- Produced A Lot Like Birds' Conversation Piece (2011) and No Place (2013).[1][6]
- Produced Slaves' debut Through Art We Are All Equals (2014).[3]
Role in the Sacramento scene
Crummett works as a producer/engineer rather than as a local performer; his connection to Sacramento runs through the records he made for bands originating there. Submerge consistently identifies him as Portland-based, noting he records at Interlace Audio in Portland, Oregon.[2] He is therefore not local to the Greater Sacramento region, but functioned as a go-to outside producer for the city's post-hardcore acts during 2011–2014.
His reputation, as cited by Submerge, was built on earlier work with Alesana, Jonny Craig and Dance Gavin Dance.[5] His relationship with the Sacramento scene appears to trace in part through vocalist Kurt Travis: Crummett had recorded two Dance Gavin Dance albums with Travis (2008's self-titled and 2009's Happiness), and after Travis left DGD and joined A Lot Like Birds, Crummett reached out to stay in touch, and ALLB independently were already considering recording with him.[1]
Discography with Sacramento-connected bands
- Dance Gavin Dance — Dance Gavin Dance (self-titled, 2008) and Happiness (2009), two albums recorded with Crummett, both featuring Kurt Travis.[1]
- A Lot Like Birds — Conversation Piece (Doghouse Records, released Oct. 11, 2011). The band traveled to Portland and worked with Crummett for roughly three weeks, writing much of the album's lyrics in the studio; one additional song was tracked in Sacramento with engineer Chris Miller while Crummett supervised remotely over Skype.[1]
- A Lot Like Birds — No Place (Equal Vision Records, Oct. 29, 2013), recorded by Crummett at Interlace Audio in Portland after the band announced plans to track there in spring 2013.[2][6]
- Slaves — Through Art We Are All Equals (Artery Recordings, June 24, 2014), the debut album produced by Crummett for the Sacramento band fronted by ex-Dance Gavin Dance/Emarosa vocalist Jonny Craig.[3]
- Dance Gavin Dance — Afterburner (2020), produced and mixed by Crummett, debuted at #14 on the US Billboard 200 and reached #1 on the US Top Rock Albums chart.[7]
Working method (as documented)
Submerge's 2011 feature on A Lot Like Birds describes Crummett's hands-on approach during Conversation Piece: the band worked with him intensively for about three weeks, with the two vocalists locked in a room with him for hours hammering out vocal parts.[1] When the band ran out of studio time and had to finish a song back in Sacramento with engineer Chris Miller, Crummett continued producing remotely by joining the sessions over Skype.[1]
Audio education
Beyond production, Crummett has been active in audio education. According to Wikipedia, in 2014 he taught two CreativeLive courses covering vocal production and hybrid mixing workflows, and also served as a featured instructor for URM Academy's "How It's Done w/ Kris Crummett" course.[4]