Mad Keys

A special bonus track that's not available on streaming. The Apparatus explores a range of ideas that were consistent with the rest of the project while introducing new elements, textures, and concepts halfway through.

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Currents EP

The Apparatus

This is the second half of The Hues of Your Smile. I felt this second idea was strong enough to live on its own. It felt like a new season and a new wave of thoughts and ideas.

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Currents

Whenever I sit down in my space, I usually start by playing whatever comes to heart on piano. These moments are usually never recorded, but there's always something amazing that comes from those moments. This idea came from one of the first times I started recording these moments early 2022.

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The Hues of Your Smile

“Currents” explores the concept of momentum, both big and small, that constantly shapes the journey. Each track reflects a personal experience, capturing the push and pull of the creative process with raw vulnerability.

Featuring three free-flowing, unmetered improvisations on piano, the EP journeys through seasons of emotions and peaks & valleys. Each track is a one-take recording, preserving authentic pauses and reflections within the music.

The unique character extends to the tuning, which intentionally deviates from the standard 441hz, creating an otherworldly soundscape.

I hope these ideas bring you joy.


Tracks:
1. Saturn in Return
2. The Hues of Your Smile
3. Currents
4. The Apparatus (Bonus)

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Saturn in Return

Jazz has been an integral, foundational part of the music that I create. Growing up, that's all that would be played around the house: jazz and gospel. Albeit, my pops would play a lot of "smooth"  jazz in the house. As I got older, I began to discover the earlier jazz legends like Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, Bobby Hutcherson, Coltrane, Bill Evans, Miles, and so many more. 

I remember sitting in my studio one morning in January 2022 hitting a wall with creating music. I had no ideas and my motivation was waning. 

After my morning journaling session, I opened Ableton, pressed record, and played whatever came out at the moment on the piano. It was liberating, to say the least. 

In that moment, I removed all expectations of creating something that I thought would be "good". I realized that I begin to falter when I obsess about how "good" something sounds or is perceived in comparison to the previous thing I've heard or seen, which then bars me from even desiring to create anything.

I began to recenter myself around the earlier days of when I first started making beats in middle school and staying up all night just figuring stuff out and creating things. I recentered myself around the moments when I was learning how to play cover songs on the piano on YouTube just for the sake of learning them. I recentered myself around how joyous it is to create what's in your mind and bring it to life and what a blessing that is.

Resurgence is me finding my way back to my music by stripping away everything and recentering myself around my foundation; the joy of creating music.

My hope is that if/when those moments hit you, remember to go back to the moments where you first fell in love with the process.

Thank you to my bro Shaughn Cooper for capturing this photo.

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Resurgence

Sauvignon Sunset is one of my favorite pieces that I've created back in 2021. This piece was heavily influenced by the music I was immersing myself into around the time I made it such as Kendrick's "Untitlted Unmastered", Karreim Riggins, and more.

This song was a complete experimentation of those influences. I hope to build on top of this sound and create more pieces like this.

~~~

Stay curious. Keep experimenting

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Sauvignon Sunset

Whatever brings you solitude,

Whatever brings you peace,

Whatever brings you joy, do it.

This song was formed in the midst of finding that contentment and joy in the creation process. In that moment, I became truly present and created what felt extremely effortless. 

It’s a gift to be able to sit and create something that lives inside of you and see it manifest in real life, and by no means should it ever be taken for granted. 

My hope is that this piece moves you to slow down, be present, and embrace those things that bring joy in your life. 

"Do What Brings You Joy" is from my beat tape "A Work In Progress", and is available on all streaming platforms.

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A Work In Progress

Do What Brings You Joy

Transcending all genres sits this multi-disciplinary world builder - St. Louis-native producer, Mad Keys, seamlessly blends elements of jazz, hip-hop, soul & electronic into a kaleidoscopic auditory experience.