With roots in hip-hop and post-punk, the Chino Hills, California, native makes lo-fi music that is equally influenced by Madlib and Johnny Rotten. He started making bedroom recordings solo using a SP-303 sampler, and after sending out a demo tape on a whim, he was personally phoned by Stones Throw founder Peanut Butter Wolf. The debut 2011 EP Crash Course was released by the label, followed by another six-track EP titled Eulogy in 2012, which featured the artist branching out from lo-fi punk with a witch house title cut. As Vex Ruffin prepared for his first full-length, he toured with a four-piece band for live shows, including a SXSW showcase and Coachella. His self-titled full-length, which found Ruffin exploring a more minimal and fractured sound, arrived on Stones Throw in 2013. ~ Jason Lymangrover