3/13/26 Black Viiolet / Low Poly Cactus $12 ADV /$15 DOS
BLACK VIIOLET is the alter-ego of garagerock maven Nicole Laurenne, singer and founder of
The Darts (US). With its first live shows in 2024, Nicole stepped away from her crowdsurfing rock
persona into a sultry, neosoul, spy-movie world of smoky jazz clubs and back-alley speakeasies,
with vintage-sounding original torch songs floating over modern triphop beats. Musicians and pro-
ducers from two continents came together to bring Black Viiolet’s unique sound to life on record-
ings and on stage.
The debut EP, Kill Me Now (2024 Adrenalin Fix Music) was featured by Seattle’s premiere jazz
radio station KNKX (“The New Cool” with Abe Beeson) and Black Viiolet immediately went into
rotation. Multiple tours in Europe and the USA soon followed. Keyboard giant Korg Inc. sponsored
Nicole on two continents and press began to roll in throughout the US, UK, and Europe. The EP
sold out within months and was re-pressed onto 12” laser-etched photo-disc vinyl in Europe.
The first full-length LP, After You (2025 Adrenalin Fix Music), was released in early 2025, with an
impressive roster of bi-continental top-tier musicians, including drummer Conrad Real (Digable
Planets, Brittany Davis). The release tour stretched across the Atlantic, including opening for
Switzerland’s The Jackets and playing Seattle’s famed Easy Street Records. A new rhythm sec-
tion was born with Seattle double-bassist Evan Strauss and Darts’ labelmate Denver drummer
Gregg Ziemba (Wheelchair Sportscamp, Rubedo) taking the live show to a new level. Wipeout
Music Publishing (Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs) in the UK and Ivy Agency (Detroit Cobras) in
the USA added Black Viiolet to their rosters.
While on tour in Europe in 2025, Black Viiolet tracked the latest album, Dark Blue (2026 Adrenalin
Fix Music / Meow Hiss Music), at legendary Studio Black Box (The Kills) in France. Mixed at Ruby
Room in Seattle, the songs on the new record are full of Black Viiolet’s bittersweetness - melan-
choly but with a sparkle and a wink - like a pink cocktail under a heady cloud of jazz-club smoke.
The horns are prominent on this record, featuring ace French jazz team Basile Conand
(trombone), Paul Cadier (sax), and JeanGa Pasquier (trumpet). The rhythm section grooves hard-
er than ever, having honed their sound together on tour. A cover of “Why Don’t You Do Right,” al-
ways a popular part of the live set, is now captured on this record. And legendary rock musicians
lend guest cameos, including Blag Dahlia (The Dwarves), Tom Hagerman (Devotchka), and Ja-
son Devore (Authority Zero), proving that Nicole is not the only rocker drawn to the lounge. Dark
Blue is an evolution for Black Viiolet without veering from its signature sweet soulful energy and
personal touch - and not quite like anything else out there.
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Low Poly Cactus is a Jazz-Funk Band of meme-loving musicians based in Los Angeles. Inspired by the legacy of fusion supergroups (Return to Forever, Snarky Puppy) and the playful funk of Vulfpeck, Low Poly Cactus focuses on memorable melodies, complex harmonies, and infectious grooves. Keyboardist, producer Adam Rochelle (PRNDL) and trumpeter, vocalist Mahealane founded the band to put on an upbeat, eclectic, colorful, energizing, and euphoric live show.