Inflo
Dean Josiah Cover, professionally known as Inflo, is an English record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He helms the R&B music collective project Sault, which foregrounds black-centric issues.[1]
Inflo | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Dean Josiah Cover |
| Also known as | Inflo 1st |
| Born | London, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instrument(s) | Drums, bass, piano, synthesiser, guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Labels | Forever Living Originals |
| Member of | Sault |
| Website | foreverlivingoriginals |
Career
In 2014, British rock band the Kooks worked with Inflo on their fourth studio album Listen after frontman Luke Pritchard discovered him via SoundCloud. Pritchard described Inflo as a "young Quincy Jones" as Pritchard applauded Inflo's bravery and conceptuality in his production.[2] In 2016, Inflo worked with Max Jury,[3] Tom Odell,[4] and Michael Kiwanuka,[5] working with the latter on his critically acclaimed sophomore effort, Love & Hate, for which he won the Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the Ivor Novello Awards for co-writing "Black Man in a White World".[6]
In 2020, Inflo served as a songwriter and producer (along with Danger Mouse) on Michael Kiwanuka's third studio album Kiwanuka, which received the 2020 Mercury Prize while earning him a nomination (as a producer) for Best Rock Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[7] He also won the Best Album at the Ivor Novello Awards the same year for his work on the album Grey Area by Little Simz.[8]
In 2021, Inflo produced Little Simz' Sometimes I Might Be Introvert and Cleo Sol's Mother, in addition to his work on Sault's fifth effort, Nine and contributing to three songs on Adele's on fourth studio album 30,[9] which earned him a second Grammy nomination for Album of the Year (as a songwriter/producer).
On 30 September 2021, Inflo was announced as the winner of the acclaimed MPG (Music Producers Guild) UK "Producer of the Year" award.
On 8 February 2022, Inflo was announced as the "Producer of the Year" at the 2022 Brit Awards, becoming the first Black person to receive this honour since the inception of the Brits in 1977. [10]
Personal life
Inflo is married to singer and bandmate Cleo Sol and in 2021 they welcomed their first child. [11]
Discography
Singles
- "No Fear" (2018)
Production discography
Albums
- Listen by The Kooks (2014)
- Love & Hate by Michael Kiwanuka (2016)
- Winter Songs by Cleo Sol (2018)
- For Ever by Jungle (2018)
- Grey Area by Little Simz (2019)
- Kiwanuka by Michael Kiwanuka (2019)
- 5 by Sault (2019)
- 7 by Sault (2019)
- Untitled (Black Is) by Sault (2020)
- Untitled (Rise) by Sault (2020)
- Rose in the Dark by Cleo Sol (2020)
- Nine by Sault (2021)
- Mother by Cleo Sol (2021)
- Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz (2021)
- 30 by Adele (2021)
- Air by Sault (2022)
- 10 by Sault (2022)
- AIIR by Sault (2022)
- Earth by Sault (2022)
- Today & Tomorrow by Sault (2022)
- 11 by Sault (2022)
- Untitled (God) by Sault (2022)
- No Thank You by Little Simz (2022)
- Heaven by Cleo Sol (2023)
- Gold by Cleo Sol (2023)
Tracks
| Title | Year | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Died in Your Eyes" | 2009 | Kristinia DeBarge | Exposed |
| "The World I Knew" | 2011 | Jordin Sparks | African Cats |
| "Numb" | 2016 | Max Jury | Max Jury |
| "Princess" | |||
| "Ella's Moonshine" | |||
| "Concrete" | Tom Odell | Wrong Crowd | |
| "Somehow" | |||
| "Show Me the Sun" | 2018 | Belle and Sebastian | How to Solve Our Human Problems |
| "Poor Boy" | |||
| "Long Way Back" | 2019 | Kid Sister | Non-album single |
| "All Your Friends" | The Snuts | Mixtape W.L. | |
| "Prayer" | Jack Peñate | After You | |
| "Murder" | |||
| "Juan Belmonte" | The Snuts | W.L. | |
| "Coffee & Cigarettes" | 2020 | Mixtape W.L. | |
| "Boardwalk" | |||
| "Microwave" | 2021 | W.L. | |
| "Dry Your Tears" | Jungle | Loving in Stereo | |
| "Bonnie Hill" | |||
| "Talk About It" | |||
| "Woman like Me" | Adele | 30 | |
| "Hold On" | |||
| "Love Is a Game" |
References
- Aswad, Jem (18 September 2020). "Sault's 'Untitled (Rise)' Seduces Listeners With Sumptuous R&B, Then Startles With Powerful Messaging: Album Review". Variety. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- Bedian, Knar (24 July 2014). "Interview: The Kooks Talk "Listen"". Sound of Boston. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- Murray, Robin (20 June 2016). "Premiere: Max Jury - 'Love That Grows Old'". Clash. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- Hawkins, Shane (5 May 2016). "In-Session: Tom Odell - "Somehow"". Wonderland. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- Pareles, Jon (13 July 2016). "Michael Kiwanuka's 'Love & Hate' Plunges Into Despair, With a Retro Feel". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- "Michael Kiwanuka, Coldplay, Pulp win 2017 Ivor Novello awards". Live4ever. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- Savage, Mark (24 September 2020). "Michael Kiwanuka wins the 2020 Mercury Prize". BBC. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- Skinner, Tom (2 September 2020). "Little Simz and Dave among winners at Ivor Novello Awards 2020". NME. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- Krol, Charlotte (8 October 2021). "Adele worked with Max Martin and Little Simz' producer Inflo on new album". NME. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- Grein, Paul (28 January 2022). "Inflo Becomes First Black Producer to Win Brit Award for Producer of the Year". Billboard. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- Heron, Tamera (16 July 2022). "How Cleo Sol emerged as the UK's most (reluctantly) coveted Neo-Soul / R&B new-age icon". The Blues Project. Retrieved 26 June 2023.