Nourished by Time Announces The Passionate Ones, Shares “Max Potential”

Nourished by Time’s Marcus Brown has announced his sophomore album, The Passionate Ones, out August 22 via XL. This new release is Brown’s first LP since his 2023 debut Erotic Probiotic 2 (which earned a spot on Paste’s 2023 year-end best albums list). It also follows last year’s Catching Chickens EP, which sat at #2 on our best EPs of 2024 roundup. The 12-track album will explore themes of going against expectations of the American Dream and creating your own reality outside of capitalism’s grind and restrictions. It leans autobiographical, as Brown first started Nourished by Time as a means of reprieve from the 9-5 rat race.

The announcement comes alongside the release of lead single “Max Potential,” which also features a self-directed music video, shot in New York City at David Hammons’ Days End installation along the Hudson. The song drips in reverb with guitar riffs and synth tones that circle each other, creating waves that build into a wall of sound. Brown’s emotive drawl pierces through the thick instrumentals with the hook “If my heart should burst or break / It was overdue.” Opening with captions that read “You’re fired, I’m sorry,” the “Max Potential” music video paints a vivid picture of someone pushed to their independence, even if against their will. Brown dons an oversized button-up with a loose tie and equally roomy jeans, wandering the streets and the shoreline with the cadence of a person forced to figure out their next movie. The video simultaneously abides by and breaks convention, with classic low camera angles often seen in hop-hop videos paired with long exposure effects that create a streaky, dreamy overall image.

Watch the music video for “Max Potential” and check out the album artwork and tracklist below.