Whitearmor | |
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Birth name | Ludwig Tomas Walther Rosenberg |
Born | Stockholm, Sweden | 17 May 1993
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Occupation(s) | Music producer, multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer, songwriter |
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Years active | 2010-present |
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Ludwig Rosenberg (born 17 May 1993), professionally known as Whitearmor (often stylized in lowercase or as White Armor), is a Swedish music producer, multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer and songwriter. He is best known for being a member of the Swedish music group and artist collective Drain Gang (along with Bladee, Ecco2K, Thaiboy Digital and Yung Sherman). His musical style has been described as softly textured and fluid. [1] [2]
Aside from producing a lot of Drain Gang's and adjacent artist Yung Lean's music he has released several solo singles and a full-length instrumental album in 2022, In the Abyss: Music for Weddings. He has also worked with musicians such as Gud, Mechatok, Xavier Wulf, Uli K, and Working on Dying.
He is also one half of music duo VilloVilduVeta together with Swedish musician Joakim Benon, a member of the Swedish band JJ.
Ludwig Tomas Walther Rosenberg was born on 17 May 1993 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden. He grew up listening to a wide range of artists including Bob Marley, Slipknot, and various Atlanta trap artists like Waka Flocka Flame. As a teenager, he began playing drums in an indie-rock band before becoming interested in and producing electronic and hip-hop music. [1]
Rosenberg began uploading music to the internet in 2010 under the names DJ Creep and DJ Cannabiz [3] before adopting the name Whitearmor in 2012. [4] While most of his music from this time has since been removed from the internet, some tracks have survived, including "Tony Hawk" (with Ken Burns & Malcolm S.), [5] "THC Bliss", [6] "Enya #6", [7] and "Downer". [8] In 2011, he released Rippin Private Bowls, an instrumental hip-hop cassette under Nymph Tapes. [9] Thought to be lost to time, the tape was eventually ripped and uploaded to the internet on 6 May 2021. [10]
In 2013, Whitearmor co-founded the Swedish music collective Drain Gang along with fellow Swedish musicians Bladee, Ecco2K, Thaiboy Digital and Yung Sherman. [1] Whitearmor's earliest publicly available collaboration with a fellow Drain Gang member was the 2012 single Oxygen, which he produced for Bladee. [4] On 12 August 2013, the group released their debut compilation GTBSG Compilation, with Whitearmor working on 10 of the 12 songs featured. [11] In addition to his work with the rest of Drain Gang, Whitearmor is also a close collaborator of the Swedish music collective Sad Boys, who are close collaborators of Drain Gang. Sad Boys is a group that consists of rapper and singer Yung Lean and producers Gud and Drain Gang member Yung Sherman. [1]
In 2019, he formed the music duo VilloVilduVeta with Swedish musician Joakim Benon, with their debut song Nästan being used in the 2019 Sad Boys/Converse "One Wish" campaign. [12] They released their debut album Längtan får vingar on 2 July 2021. Whitearmor co-produced and wrote the entire album with Benon and also served as the project's mixing engineer. [13] Later that year in October, they released the single Nikita. [14]
In 2020, he worked with Yung Lean on Lean's side project Jonatan Leandoer96 (stylized in lowercase), contributing guitar, synthesizer and additional vocals to Leandoer96's single Evil from the album Blodhundar + Lullabies. [15]
In 2022, Whitearmor released his debut studio album In the Abyss: Music for Weddings. The album was composed, produced, performed, and mixed entirely by Rosenberg. Mastering of the album was done by Robin Schmidt, an audio engineer who has been a frequent collaborator of Whitearmor and the rest of Drain Gang as a mastering engineer. [16] It contains elements of ambient and new age, being described as soothing, uplifting and accessible, likening to mid-80s Haruomi Hosono. [17]
He also took part in the 2022 Drain Gang tour that spanned 23 performances in North America and Europe, which included an additional performance at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Spain. [18]
Release | Year | Artist(s) | Production Credits |
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Unknown Death 2002 | 2013 | Yung Lean |
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GTBSG Compilation | Drain Gang | Entirely produced by Rosenberg except:
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Gluee | 2014 | Bladee |
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Unknown Memory | Yung Lean |
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Tiger(also known as ส) | Thaiboy Digital |
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Warlord | 2016 | Yung Lean |
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Eversince | Bladee | Entirely produced by Rosenberg except:
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AvP | Bladee & Thaiboy Digital | Entirely produced by Rosenberg. | |
Frost God | Yung Lean |
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D&G | 2017 | Drain Gang | Entirely produced by Rosenberg except:
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Stranger | Yung Lean |
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Red Light | 2018 | Bladee | Entirely produced by Rosenberg except:
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Sunset in Silver City | Bladee | Entirely produced by Rosenberg. | |
Exile | Bladee | Entirely produced by Rosenberg. | |
Poison Ivy | Yung Lean | Entirely produced by Rosenberg. | |
Icedancer | Bladee |
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Trash Star | 2019 | Bladee | Single produced by Rosenberg. |
Total Eclipse | Yung Lean |
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Apple | Bladee | Single produced by Rosenberg. | |
Trash Island | Drain Gang | Entirely produced by Rosenberg except:
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Legendary Member | Thaiboy Digital |
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E | Ecco2K |
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Starz | 2020 | Yung Lean | Entirely produced by Rosenberg except:
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Opium Dreams | Yung Lean & Bladee | Single produced by Rosenberg. | |
333 | Bladee | Entirely produced by Rosenberg except:
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Blodhundar & Lullabies | jonatan leandoer96 |
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Crest | 2022 | Bladee & Ecco2K | Entirely produced by Rosenberg. |
Stardust | Yung Lean |
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I'm Fresh | Thaiboy Digital | Single produced by Rosenberg. | |
Spiderr | Bladee | Entirely produced by Rosenberg except:
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Back 2 Life | Thaiboy Digital |
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Victorious // Bullets | 2023 | Bladee & Yung Lean | Entirely produced by Rosenberg. |
Requiem | Bladee | Entirely produced by Rosenberg. | |
TL;DR | 2024 | Bladee, Ecco2K, Thaiboy Digital | Single produced by Rosenberg. |
Cold Visions | Bladee |
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Cloud rap is a subgenre of rap that has several sonic characteristics of trap music and is known for its hazy, dreamlike and relaxed production style. Rapper Lil B and producer Clams Casino have been identified as the early pioneers of the style. The term "cloud rap" is derived from its internet origins and ethereal style.
Jonatan Aron Leandoer Håstad, known professionally as Yung Lean, is a Swedish rapper, singer and songwriter. Widely cited as one of the most influential figures in the early cloud rap era, Yung Lean rose to prominence in 2013 with his song "Ginseng Strip 2002", which went viral on YouTube. Later that same year, he released his debut mixtape, Unknown Death 2002, and the following year, he released his debut studio album, Unknown Memory.
Carl-Mikael Göran "Micke" Berlander, known professionally as Gud, is a Swedish DJ, music producer and rapper best known as a member of rapper Yung Lean's Stockholm-based group Sad Boys. He began producing at the age of twelve, making psychedelic trance music, which heavily influenced his sonic palette. His production as a part of Sad Boys has been well received.
Swedish rapper Yung Lean, has released seven studio albums, six EPs and three mixtapes.
Stranger is the third studio album by Swedish rapper Yung Lean. It was released on November 10, 2017, by the label YEAR0001 and was executively produced by Gud, with additional production from Whitearmor and Yung Sherman.
Benjamin Reichwald, known professionally as Bladee, is a Swedish rapper, singer, record producer, designer, and member of the artistic collective Drain Gang. Reichwald has released music through the Stockholm record label Year0001 since his debut mixtape Gluee in 2014. In addition to his music, Reichwald creates visual art, which frequently appears as cover art for his releases. Reichwald also serves as the creative director for Yung Lean's clothing line Sadboys Gear.
Red Light is the second studio album by Swedish rapper Bladee. It was released on 11 May 2018 by YEAR0001. The album was released to digital retailers and streaming services along with an announcement that Bladee would be performing his first major solo show at London's O2 Academy Islington the following week.
Eversince is the debut studio album by Swedish rapper and Drain Gang member Bladee. It was released on May 25, 2016 by YEAR0001. The album contains elements of hip hop, R&B, gothic rock, new wave music, and electronic music.
Year0001 is an independent record label based in Stockholm, Sweden. Founded in 2015 by Oskar Ekman and Emilio Fagone, it is under an exclusive distribution agreement with Dutch distributor FUGA.
Drain Gang is a Swedish music collective. Consisting of Bladee, Ecco2K, Thaiboy Digital and producer Whitearmor, the group rose to one of the top Swedish music collectives in the mid-late 2010s. They are known for their frequent collaborations with fellow Swedish rapper Yung Lean and producer Gud.
Thanapat Bunleang, better known by his stage name Thaiboy Digital, is a Thai rapper, singer, producer, and fashion designer. Born in Khon Kaen, Thailand, Bunleang moved to Stockholm, Sweden at the age of eight, and is now based in Bangkok. In addition to his solo work, Bunleang is a member of the group Drain Gang.
Zak Arogundade Gaterud, known professionally as Ecco2K, is a Swedish designer, visual artist, singer, and rapper. After gaining experience with graphics software from the age of five, Arogundade founded the band Krossad with Bladee, his then-classmate, in 2004. Three years later, he founded his first fashion brand, Alaska, and later joined the Swedish shoe brand Eytys as a designer. He founded Drain Gang with childhood friends Bladee, Thaiboy Digital and Whitearmor in 2013. Over the decade, Ecco2K appeared on albums with Drain Gang and directed music videos before releasing his debut solo studio album, E, in 2019. He went on to release the EP PXE in 2021 and the collaborative studio album Crest in 2022 alongside Bladee. Arogundade is known as a private and secretive person, and has incorporated queer themes in his work.
333 is the fourth studio album by Swedish rapper Bladee. It was released on July 16, 2020, by YEAR0001, making it Bladee's second release of 2020, following April's Exeter. 333 is notable among Bladee's discography in featuring no collaborations from fellow Drain Gang members Thaiboy Digital and Ecco2K. The album has been associated with the hyperpop microgenre that rose to popularity in 2020, with one writer describing it as "hyperpop-adjacent".
The Fool is the sixth studio album by Swedish rapper and Drain Gang member Bladee. A surprise album, it was released on 28 May 2021 through Year0001. The track "Inspiration Comes" features fellow Drain Gang member Thaiboy Digital. The entirety of the project was produced by Lusi, although some songs have extra contributions from producers such as Clibbo, Loesoe, Outtatown, Rip, and Rok.
Stardust is the fourth mixtape by Swedish rapper Yung Lean. It was released on 8 April 2022 by the label World Affairs, a sub-label of YEAR0001.
Crest is a collaborative studio album by Swedish musicians Bladee and Ecco2K, released on 17 March 2022 through Year0001. It was recorded in Sweden with producer Whitearmor, close to the recording location of the film The Seventh Seal (1957). Crest is a progressive pop album featuring Auto-Tune vocals with lyrics addressing themes of love and friendship, and multiple references to Christianity and heaven. The track "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" was released as a single in 2020. Crest was considered one of the best albums of the year by The Fader and Anthony Fantano and one of the best progressive pop albums of the year by Pitchfork.
E is the debut studio album by Swedish-British singer Ecco2K. A surprise album, it was released on 27 November 2019 through Year0001. Previously known for his work on other people's projects, Ecco2K began working on the album after leaving his day job at Eytys. It was recorded across multiple cities and executive-produced by Gud and Whitearmor. Musically, multiple reviewers noted the album's contrast with Ecco2K's previous works, in addition to its futuristic sound and personal lyrical themes. Reviewers described E as bringing Ecco2K into the spotlight, and The Fader said it was a "standout release" for 2019.
Trash Island is a collaborative studio album by Swedish collective Drain Gang, released on 12 September 2019 through Year0001. It is performed by Bladee, Ecco2K and Thaiboy Digital, and produced by Whitearmor, with "Acid Rain" and "You Lose" being co-produced by Mechatok and Lusi, respectively. The song "1:1" features Yung Lean.
Legendary Member is the debut studio album by Thai rapper Thaiboy Digital, released on 26 September 2019 through Year0001. The album was recorded with Thaiboy Digital exchanging trips between London and Stockholm, and features Bladee, Ecco2K, and Yung Lean. The album has Gud as executive producer, with Whitearmor, RipSquad and Woesum as co-producers. It was first announced a month before with the release of a single, "Lip Service", featuring Ecco2K, followed by the release of "Nervous" and "IDGAF". A music video for the album's title track was released in October. Thaiboy Digital later toured Australia.
Cold Visions is a studio album by Swedish rapper Bladee, released on 23 April 2024 through Trash Island. A surprise album, Cold Visions was released following Bladee and Yung Lean's collaborative rock album Psykos the previous month.