The co-founder and operating CEO of Hippos In Tanks has died, according to reports.

Barron Machat was co-founder and operating CEO of Hippos In Tanks, a Los Angeles-based record label and management company that released music from artists such as Dean Blunt, Laurel Halo, James Ferraro and Autre Ne Veut. Launched in 2010, in 2011 Hippos In Tanks was named label of the year by FACT.

Hippos in Tanks’ last record was released in 2013, but in recent years Machat had worked with Swedish rapper Yung Lean and the Sad Boys as part of Emotional Management. Machat was from a music family: his father was Steven Machat, the music lawyer and manager behind the book Gods, Gangsters and Honour, and his grandfather was Marty Machat, a lawyer and manager who worked closely with Leonard Cohen and Phil Spector.

Oneohtrix Point Never and Robin Carolan of Tri Angle Records confirmed the news via Twitter. Ferraro posted a photo on Instagram, while Arca and Laurel Halo have also shared condolences.

Update, 17.50 BST: Barron’s family have confirmed that he died in a car crash in Miami on Wednesday morning.

You can read our tribute to Barron Machat here.