Biography

Introduction

Black Dice is an experimental electronica group currently based in Brooklyn, New York, USA.

Early years

Black Dice formed in spring 1997 soon after guitarist Bjorn Copeland met drummer Hisham Bharoocha at the Rhode Island School of Design. Joined by Bjorn's brother Eric Copeland on vocals and bassist Sebastian Blanck, their early sound has been described^{[by whom?]} as thrash-influenced noise. They released several 7"s and embarked on a few brief tours before Blanck left the group and was replaced by Aaron Warren. In 1999 the band moved to New York City and began to experiment with their sound, with Warren and the brothers incorporating more pedals into their setup and slowly leaving their earlier hardcore-leaning style in favor of more rhythmic music similar to motorik and dub music.

Albums with DFA and Fat Cat

The release of the album Beaches and Canyons on DFA/Fat Cat and its follow-up, 2004's Creature Comforts saw the band reaching a worldwide audience. However the band was set back with the departure of Bharoocha and their cancellation of a heavily-planned tour co-headlined by Animal Collective. Nonetheless, reduced to a trio, Black Dice recorded their Broken Ear Record in Australia in early 2005. Without a drummer, their music took another turn towards Afrobeat and breakbeat. Having been together almost ten years, the group has performed shows in five continents sharing the stage with artists including The Residents and Godspeed You Black Emperor.