Gone too soon, co-founder and CEO of experimental music label, Hippos In Tanks has been reported dead at the young age of 27 according to Brooklyn Vegan. Wikipedia made a recent update under the Hippos In Tanks page along with other multiple sources, Barron passed from a car crash in Miami. An official statement has yet to be released although Machat’s father, Steven Machat expressed the sad news with profound enlightment on his instagram:
Barron left us physically today. But he is hovering around all who know us asking me to tell you he is ok and loves you all.
Barron Machat was destined to make his mark in music entertainment because it was in his bloodline. Author of Gods, Gangsters and Honour, Steven Machat, is a successful music entertainment attorney, has worked as a music publisher, a music talent manager, a producer of the documentary, Bird on a Wire, a film of Leonard Cohen 1972 European Tour and has worn many other hats.
The Los Angeles based record label and management company, Hippos In Tanks, were known for platforming underground electronic music artists but was loved by many artists and music lovers of different genres. The label headed by Barron Machat and Travis Woolsey started their creative endeavor after crossing paths almost immediately while working at a Los Angeles online-based company. Machat and Woolsey gained music industry experience while working as radio show hosts on KXLU, a non-commercial college radio-broadcasting show out of Loyola Marymount University. The radio show was called, Hippos In Tanks, inspired by a 1945 novel, And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks. Machat and Woolsey started Hippos In Tanks in 2010 releasing their very first EP with electronic artist Von Haze. The label began to spark buzz and was named label of the year by FACT Magazine. Hippos In Tanks released music for Hype Williams, Dean Blunt, Inga Copeland, Outer Limitz, Arca, ADR, Gatekeeper and many other electronic recording artists. Machat was more recently focused on his management aspect of the company, while working with Swedish rapper Yung Lean and other break through artists.
Earlier this week, Triangle Records, run by a young British-born mogul, Robin Carolan, took to twitter to express their profound sadness, “I hate twitter RIPs in general, but Barron Machat’s passing has really upset me beyond words. We came up together.”
Laurel Halo, a techno & electronic musician from Ann Arbor, MI expressed her endearment towards Barron’s absence stating: “Barron was known for his enthusiasm and energy – he made people feel like dreams are worth pursuing no matter how foolish. You will be missed.” Several other musician friends of Barron Machat joined in expressing their sincere lost for words including, True Panther Sounds, Daniel Lopatin, Autre Ne Veut, Forest Swords and many more. Machat’s multi-faceted music focuses allowed him to sustain and grow although he is no longer with us, we hope the seeds he planted will continue to flourish.
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