[The Audiofiles] Catch Cautious Clay’s Debut Album ‘Deadpan Love’

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021Leave a comment

Though over time this blog has become has undergone as many iterations as I feel like I have, it’s original purpose – and the ever evolving gestation of my being – is music; sharing, enjoying, loving, grooving with, dancing to and discovering good music and fantastic artists. Over the past year, I think we can all agree that music has healing and saving properties and quite frankly I fucking miss going to see live music, letting the bass reverberate through your bones to the core fibers of your being.

When the venues start reopening and concerts start flowing through – I already have a healthy list of new artists that I’ve had the pleasure of discovering over the the last year that I’m just itching to hear live. One of those artists is Cautious Clay and I’m so pumped that he’s finally releasing his first debut album Deadpan Love on June 25th.

Fusing blues, jazz, hip-hop and indie rock in a seamless manner – Cautious Clay curates a timeless air with his musical prowess while demanding your presence with deliberate and delicate vocals and lyricisms, evoking mature moods and complex emotions on a grand scale. Think Darius Rucker and Gary Clark Jr. meet Bloc Party, pull up a seat and lose yourself in the musical moments that he’s expertly curated.

A modern day musical hat trick of production, singing and songwriting, Cautious Clay – otherwise known as Joshua Karpeh – is (currently) an independent artist hailing from Cleveland, Ohio; why’s that in quotes, you ask? Because after this EP I simply cannot see his talents going unsigned. If you think you recognize his voice, you just might – Cautious Clay has two songs with John Mayer under his belt, and had his phenomenal track ‘Cold War’ sampled on T-Swift’s ‘London’ Boy’. In addition to his own songwriting credits, Kareph has assisted on three songs on John Legend’s ‘Bigger Love’ album, in addition to Alina Baraz and Khalid’s single ‘Floating’.

For more on Cautious Clay, fly by his socials:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

For more new music, follow me on Hypem or check out my ever evolving playlist on Spotify for new June tunes.

[The Audiofiles] Usher In Winter with Lane 8’s Latest Mixtape

December 11, 2015December 11, 2015Leave a comment

With Los Angeles trapped within it’s version of perpetual Summer, I tend to forget that other seasons exist until we’re thrust into them feet first. Thankfully, I’ve begun to anticipate them thanks to timely mixes from none other than Lane 8, a rising star on Above & Beyond’s Anjunadeep imprint. Now with a host of large festival tour dates like Northern Nights, Spring Awakening, What The Festival and Global Dance Festival – not to mention, with his second album ‘Rise‘ and second North American Tour of the same name under his belt, Lane 8 has perfected his stage presence and ability to feel the crowd, which have both forayed into his exquisitely curated mixtapes.

Over the last year, I’ve found myself drawn to both his moody and brooding downtempo original tracks as well as his magnificent mixes that pull inspiration from each and every pocket of House Music. Deep, Indie, Tech – you name it, he’s mixed it into his wondrous works. Though I’d missed out on attending several of his shows around Southern California, I was delighted to be front and center while he brought the house down at Coachella’s DoLab Stage to watch him turn some of my bass buddies into tried and true Lane 8 believers. Each and every time I dive into a mix, I’m absolutely enthralled and blown away by his musical maturity and his latest Winter 2015 Mixtape is an absolute testament to that fact. Dive right in and see what you think!

For more on Lane 8, make sure you keep tabs on his socials –

Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud

Photo by Daniel Leist

Cross Published on The DJ List

[The Audiofiles] Ipman Releases Delightfully Dark Debut LP ‘Depatterning’ on The Glitch Mob’s Glass Air Imprint

October 20, 2015October 20, 2015Leave a comment

Prepare yourself for an auditory adventure into the throws of industrial synths, brooding tech house basslines and ominous undertones as Ipman presents his debut album ‘Depatterning‘. Releasing via The Glitch Mob’s Glass Air Records imprint and Tectonic Recordings, Depatterning‘ is the fantastic culmination of two dedicated years in the studio honing his unique and experimental sound that sits delightfully between UK Garage and Future Bass.

Originally hailing from a small rural English town, Ipman – better known as Jack Gibbons – has passionately curated an album that draws equal inspiration from rave culture as it does his personal technological advancements in instrumentation. The album was hand crafted by tech savvy Gibbons, down to the very instruments used: experimenting with both modular and granular synths and rewiring the drum machine.

“I like to create music by experimenting with new ideas and mechanics and letting tracks evolve, and this was no different. I had a pretty free reign and just tried new things and looked at the results.”
– Ipman Through discordant bass and dissonant tones, Ipman’s record is a delightful deviation from predictable, four to the floor club bangers. One listen to ‘Depatterning‘ and you’ll be craving a 3am moment at a Warehouse party.

‘Depatterning’ Tracklisting
1. Regicide
2. Technicolour
3. Gravity
4. IPA
5. Last One In The In The
6. Y
7. O
8. U
9. Strong Ones

Depatterning is available for purchase or for listen via streaming in a menagerie of different mediums from Ipman’s website here; choose your auditory adventure whichever way you best see fit – iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Google Play and more!

For more on Glass Air Records, head to their website here

Get to know Ipman through his socials –
Website | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter

Originally Featured on The DJ List

[Rising Star Spotlight] Thomas Jack

November 18, 2013November 18, 2013Leave a comment

Sure, it’s Monday morning – but thanks to the tropical house vibes coming from Thomas Jack, today just doesn’t feel that bad! I discovered the young man less than a month ago when I caught myself in an unexpected cubicle boogie – his single ‘Booka Shake’ had started playing on Hypem and I was getting down with the get down.

The sultry synths combined with Nate Dogg’s seductive voice pave the way for one hell of a funky remix; one thing that I haven’t gotten from a lot of American producers lately is the use of ’empty’ noise – a lot of what’s gotten popular is heavily layered, intricate beats that “whomp” and “untz” throughout. The pieces are chalk full of noises and it feels like your head’s being bombarded with non-stop beats – with Thomas Jack, things are different. There’s breathing room between notes, there’s wiggle room; other guys, take note.

The man garnishes the ability to take folk and indie singles and infuse them with emotion: crafting delightfully dance-able tracks and weaving powerful words and melodies throughout his own unique creations. Thomas Jack successfully creates an ambient atmosphere where only his music exists: if you close your eyes and let yourself drift into the simple yet intricate melodies, you’ll start to float off to your own fantasy island – fully equipped with flirtatiously colored drinks with contrasting, miniature umbrellas. Somewhere between the open, staccato notes and the full sounds of saxophones and pan flutes a sub-genre of deep house reemerges with life. Yes, you read that correctly – real instruments, oh yes!

He’s already done guests mixes for two of my all time favorite music blogs – Earmilk and Gotta Dance Dirty and has been making his way into multitudes of music bloggers hearts – one quick search on the interwebs and you’ll see the recent infatuation with his music firsthand. Bottom line, if you’re curious who to watch in 2014 – your answer is right here.