friendkerrek
General / Communications Director
friendkerrek, birth name Ryan Travis, is a Dallas, Texas born beatmaker, composer, and DJ who has been located in Louisiana since just before the turn of the millennium. His works are influenced by many artists from Knxwledge to My Bloody Valentine. Melodic samples invoke strong emotions while knocking drums and synthesizers fill out the arrangements, all with plenty of processing through the Roland SP-404 and SP-555 samplers.
Upon moving to New Orleans in late 2017, friendkerrek quickly built up a reputation as a consistent and energetic live performer thanks to his charismatic stage presence and expert knowledge of the Roland SP-404SX. Joining forces with a handful of other New Orleans-based producers was a crucial step, leading to the formation of Bag Season Records and the launch of the monthly producer spotlight called Counter Sessions at a local arcade, helping to cement his place in the beatmaking community.
From 2018-2019 he released 3 EPs, several singles, and two full-length cassettes. His first release of 2019, The Lathe of Heaven, was released through acclaimed underground hip hop label Mt. Fuji Tapes. It sold out within a week of the preorder release and was featured on Okayplayer.com's list of best mixtapes of the year alongside legendary beatmakers such as Ohbliv, Dibia$e, and STLNDRMS.
2020 began with a new album, friendzone. This 18-track offering is a collaborative album with some of the best artists from New Orleans and beyond. Features include AFKA (New Orleans), brainorchestra (New Jersey), and WOX (Berlin). A new mixtape called TRUST was released shortly after in early April 2020.
2021 brought the instrumental effort Quarter Square, and 2022 followed with kerrek's first instrumental album, Letters From Tomorrow. The vinyl went on to sell out and was described by the press as "dreamy but with edge and purpose" and "full of depth and supported by [his] intelligent use of synthesis"
