Toronto trio Keys N Krates released their latest album Original Classic on the 12th of November via Last Gang Records. On the LP, listeners will find the rhythmic track, ‘Dreams Of Oceans’. The thirteen-track project contains previously released singles ‘Pull Up’, featuring fellow Canadian and Polaris Prize-winning artist Haviah Mighty, the Juicy J, Chip and Marbl-featuring ‘Original Classic’ the Bibi Bourelly collaboration ‘Take It Off’ and this summer's ‘Brazillian Love Song’ which was recently announced as part of the FIFA 22 soundtrack. The album has already been supported by Billboard, Complex, CLASH Magazine and This Song Is Sick to name a few.
Keys N Krates speaking about the sound of the new album: "This album was about us finding our place in dance music, which probably sounds weird coming from a band probably classified as a dance act. Rather than 'jump up and down festival music,' we wanted something more for the dark club. We are hesitant to use the word 'mature,' but we'll just go ahead and say we want it to feel more mature. We wanted a lot of groove, loose feeling but driving drums, syncopation, an overall tribal feeling, a more global sound, 808s, orchestral and synthy textures; all things we love. We wanted it to be a mix of pop songs and instrumental songs and moody interludes that all feel like they come from the same place. We wanted it to be dramatic and fun. Put simply, we tried to make music that we would want to hear if we turned up somewhere to dance."
Coupled with Original Classic's release is the visual album by Sammy Rawal, who created and directed a vibrant and psychedelic video for each track on the record. Rawal says the inspiration behind the videos comes from 90s warehouse raves, early 2000s RnB videos and films like Blade and Hackers. The cast is comprised of models and up-and-coming legends of the Ballroom scene from iconic houses such as House of Miyake Mugler, House of Ninja and House of Louboutin.
Additionally, in support of the album Keys N Krates have begun their 20-day headlining Original Classic Tour, which will feature DJ sets from the group. The run of shows kicked off on November 17th in Washington D.C. and includes stops in Detroit, Chicago, NYC and more. Tickets are on sale here. Listen to Original Classic above, see full tour routing and album details below and stay tuned for more from Keys N Krates coming soon.
About Keys N Krates:
Since forming a decade ago in their native Toronto, Keys N Krates have carved their own path via a bass-centric, sample-driven sound, melding the realms of electronic, hip-hop and beyond. The group — composed of drummer Adam Tune, keyboardist David Matisse and turntablist Jr. Flo — has built a venerable reputation as one of the leading live electronic acts today on the strength of their onstage instrumentation and energetic sets.
Their early sound succeeded in combining catchy, pitched up, chopped vocal samples with 808s, resulting in off-kilter festival smashers like ‘Dum Dee Dum’, ‘Treat Me Right’, and other fan-favourites. These songs would be reinterpreted into energetic live versions that the trio would play to create their own experience and vibe. Their song’s original versions would also be played by legends of their genre like TNGHT, Diplo, Machinedrum, Baauer, and more — helping to cement Keys N Krates as a fixture in festival bass and trap music.
Keys N Krates’ 2018 debut album Cura represented a musical shift for the band. Although the use of pulverizing 808s, organic sounds, and vocal samples would remain a fixture for the trio, Keys N Krates embraced their love for R&B/soul music, more dense instrumentation (such as strings and woodwind instruments), and catchy vocal-driven pop songs.
Anthemic songs with Tory Lanez, Ambre Perkins, and 070 Shake weaved together the band’s technicolour world of vocal-driven songs supported by sample-chopped beats that blended the sounds of disco, trap, and boom-bap rap of the 90s. This synthesis earned them commercial radio success and spins from some of their idols on specialty radio —like Elton John and Q-Tip. ‘Flute Loop’ reached back to the trio’s traditional stripped-down 808 sound while incorporating their new techniques of orchestration and resampling to compliment the minimal with the maximal.
Their latest full-length project, 2019's A Beat Tape For Your Friends, further elevates their craft as they pay homage to their sample-chopping musical influences like Jay Dilla. It’s a collection of infectious, loopy, instrumental beats that shows the seeds their music grows from.
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