Nostrum Grocers by Nostrum Grocers

Nostrum Grocers is the new collaborative group between Milo and Elucid, releasing their debut self-titled album on Ruby Yacht. Conceptualizing the album in 2015, Elucid flew out from New York to Milwaukee, hanging out with Rory Ferreira, ignoble poet, as the two cooked, discussed life and conducted initial studio work. The first batch of recordings pulled from this meet-up were promising contributions, solidifying the future progression of the Nostrum Grocers project.

Two years would pass before Nostrum Grocers would step in the studio again, recording the bulk of their debut over a two day stretch at Brooklyn based Greenhouse Studios. This was in September of 2017, one month after Ferreira released the critically acclaimed album Who Told You To Think??!!?!?!?! and touring the world activated. In creating their debut, Nostrum Grocers leaned towards improvisations and instinct, penning the lyrics and capturing the music in moment to moment waves. The interval between penning the lyrics and the studio sessions holds a special place with Elucid and as he explains, "All of my lyrics were written during the last months of my wife's pregnancy and recorded a month after my son was born. There was such intense optimism, clarity and genuine excitement during this period for me/us that I hope it translates to the listener."

With the initial engineering side completed with Willie Green and Cedric Wilson at his Greenhouse Studios, the record was mixed by Elucid and mastered at the Cosmic Zoo by Daddy Kev. The entirety of the Nostrum Grocers debut was produced by Elucid and Ferreira, with artwork contributions from renowned painter Kennady Bob. Between their initial meet up and the release of Nostrum Grocers, Ferreira would become a father, relocate to Portland, Maine, create the record shop / creative space Soulfolks, and take flight with Who Told You To Think??!!?!?!?! and the latest Scallops Hotel album Sovereign Nose of (Y)our Arrogant Face. Elucid would also make rapid growth in various pockets of life during this three year stretch, also becoming a father, touring the east coast with Ferreira during February of 2017, expanding on the Billy Woods collaborative project Armand Hammer, and launching the solo albums Save Yourself, Valley of Grace, and Shit Don't Rhyme No More.

Nostrum Grocers' debut album is an accumulation of their respective paths as Black liberation technicians and gave the two an opportunity to explore a new world that deviates from the oppressive ones currently in place. For those looking to catch the group live, the Nostrum Grocers record release show goes down on August 19th at Elsewhere (Zone One) in Brooklyn, NY.