We’ve been following Conrad for some time now, and he’s vastly evolved over the past year alone. His most recent project, Time, is an EP based around the single of the same name from his preceding album, Beautiful Tragedy. It’s also a solid extension of where the album itself leaves off – especially when both are played back-to-back. Conrad and I got in touch to discuss the EP, some of his past work, and the combining of the electronic and hip-hop realms into what we hear from him today.

From start to finish, It’s like everything is made of little pieces from that combination, and fleshed out into full songs.

What led to Time being created?
On the Beautiful Tragedy album, [the song]  was definitely one of my favourites, and one of the songs that I felt didn’t get as much exposure as the rest of the singles that came out. That was always something that I wanted to highlight, because it was, in my opinion, that perfect combination of experimental electronic music, and modern rap. That’s why I put together an EP that was kinda spaced to that whole combination specifically. From start to finish, It’s like everything is made of little pieces from that combination, and fleshed out into full songs.

I wanted to continue the Beautiful Tragedy album, so I made something that you can play right after Beautiful Tragedy, and I thought that it would be a dope way to continue that vibe.

Do you have a favourite track from the EP in particular?
I go back and forth between ‘Kneel Da Grass/Tight Son‘ and ‘Kylo‘, since they are two very different tracks, and they live in two very separate worlds, with the “tech house” vs. “heavy trap/future bass-inspired” sounds. Those are two totally separate worlds, but I feel like somehow, I was able to bring them into the same space and make them make sense. So definitely one of those two.

[‘H.E.R. (Tattoo)’] takes the crowd into a whole different headspace, and everybody zones out with me.

Outside of the EP, do you have an all-time favourite tune that you created?
I really like ‘H.E.R. (Tattoo)’. I don’t get to play it as much as I would like to, when I go out and perform – but whenever I do play that song live, it takes the crowd into a whole different headspace, and everybody zones out with me. That song pulls on your spirit a little bit, and I believe that people connect with it a lot. That’s probably one of my favourites outside of the EP – that, or ‘Blackliight‘ – which came out a while ago, like years ago… but it’s still got that vibe.

That started a little over a year ago, and it’s been very good – and I’m also starting to put out other artists. I’ve got a few things in the works, and you’ll see more of what we’re talking about here: that marriage of electronic music and hip-hop.

…Hip-hop is always the main influence, and then experimental electronic music is like the technique, or “seasoning in the cake”, you might say.

Would you say you have any sort of general influences for your music?
Yeah, definitely! Everything usually comes from a hip-hop kind of foundation, because that’s been my main influence for as long as I can remember, really. But hip-hop is always the main influence, and then experimental electronic music is like the technique, or “seasoning in the cake”, you might say. *laughs* It always starts with a hip-hop foundation. But, being able to experiment with all of these new technologies and music plug-ins and different digital workstations, that’s when you get into the experimental electronic side, where you can literally create anything you could imagine.

Also, the experimental aspect of it brings things that you wouldn’t have ever thought of. I like to just try things out and see how they come out, and then create things that way.

Who would you say are some of your favourite artists in either genre?
There’s too many, there’s too many! I could just go on forever – I’m gonna try to narrow it down. I’ll definitely say in the world of J Dilla, Flying Lotus, Hudson Mohawke – which is a set of certain sounds. When we get into rappers, we’re talking Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Kid Cudi – and that’s a whole sound right there. Also, I’ve been listening to a lot of Smokepurpp lately as well. I wouldn’t say he’s one of my favourite artists, but the whole modern hip-hop sound, I’m lovin’ right now. And then, in electronic music, people that I aspire towards are Bonobo, and Four Tet.

Now, I love that you can find whatever you want, whatever niche sound is your thing, and it’s just all out there for you. It’s super-easy to get anything that you love. I really love and appreciate that. I’m so happy with music and technology; the marriage between music and technology right now is really, really beautiful to me.

What would you say is next for Conrad?
Hopefully, I’ll be putting together a tour this summer, or at least in the fall. I would love to visit all these cities, states, countries that have been showing me so much love, online and on Spotify. I look at all that data, and see who’s been playing what, and who’s really loving it; I would love to go and visit these places and play. So I really wanna get a tour going, and do this live, and just connect with more people – that’s what I really wanna do. But, other than that, I’ll be focused on finishing up projects for Infinity Pool, and releasing some more stuff for new artists that I’m working with in the next few months.

…Yeah, I’ll be busy.

The post Conrad Clifton On <em>Time,</em> Inspirations, Genre-Blending + More [Interview] appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

The EP has multiple references to his album from a year ago, Beautiful Tragedy, with the most visible instance being the re-design of its cover art. Between both projects, the EP pays tribute to each respective title track. ‘Time’, featuring Atlanta’s Da Rookiez, makes a re-appearance at the end of the EP, and is followed with a remix by SIRO – which goes hard with a heavy, future-bass-inspired feel.

The remix stands out quite a bit compared to the rest of the EP, given how Conrad has a much more ethereal and generally relaxed tone on most of the other tracks. Nonetheless, going this hard helps the EP finish off with a bang, making it a choice closing track. The other throwback to his album comes in the form of an uptempo, trap-influenced rework of ‘Beautiful Tragedy‘, which takes the ambient tune to a new level of serene.

The opening track, ‘Uknowthe T’, is a slightly-off-kilter beat which clocks in at less than a minute. It serves as an appropriate intro to the EP, with prevalent ticking and winding heard throughout, to resemble a fully-functioning clock – right before jumping into the already-released tracks, ‘Kneel Da Grass/Tight Son‘, ‘Kylo‘, and the ‘Beautiful Tragedy’ VIP.

‘Contact’ is also on the shorter end of the tracks listed, and feels like a cosmic interlude before the EP’s final act takes place. The tune lives up to its name – right from the start, it gives off a space-like vibe, which soon after sounds as if we’ve finally made contact with a new lifeform, via interplanetary communication.

Those who have been tracking Conrad for some time now are well aware that he’s not afraid to experiment with new sounds, and pull wonderful surprises out of his sleeve; this EP is no exception to that. For those who haven’t been following Conrad, now’s the perfect time to start – have a listen to Time below, available via Conrad’s Infinity Pool Recordings, and jump aboard the hypetrain!

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Conrad delivers some hanging, off-kilter melodies which help paint the tune dark from start to finish; it’s the sort of dreary sound that you’d likely hear if you were to step into a twisted circus. The artwork helps bring out such a tone as well, and begs to ask if that’s intended to be makeup or not. The trap underlay, combined with Mr. East Point himself doing what he does best – “murder tha beat, I murder tha mic“, serve as boosts to help ‘King of Dope’ live up to its name.

Now out on Conrad’s label, Infinity Pool Recordings, you can download/stream it for your favourite platform – which also comes with the instrumental version, should you wish to add your own verses and show how you’re the King/Queen of Dope!

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The song has quite a likeness to the angsty Force user himself. The sonic elements progressively build upon one another in the beginning; combined with the heavy, thumping bassline, this makes it a suitable number to lead an oncoming march by the Empire/First Order. As the end approaches and the trap starts to bounce, there are some high-hitting synths and muffled vocal chops, which together slightly resemble Kylo Ren’s voice – at least, when he dons his helmet.

Hearing the stark conrast in the released singles for the EP, one could only imagine what kind of musical lengths Conrad has explored in the making of TIME. Check out ‘Kylo’ below as the EP slowly draws near, and let it hold you over in the meantime! TIME is set to be released sometime early this year.

The post Conrad Clifton Taps Into His Inner Force with ‘Kylo’ appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Apart from a clever play on words, the title also serves to demonstrate the tune’s dichotomous nature. The first segment takes the listener to a lush island, with tropical guitar melodies in the air, doubled with house-inspired synthwork which feels aquatic – almost as if it’s inviting you to take an exotic trip under the sea. As it slowly works its way towards the end, it becomes slightly darker in nature, without veering off from what it started out as.

Such a transition goes to show how Conrad can seamlessly switch styles at any given moment, while maintaining and sticking to the fundamental aspects of any track that he produces/comes across. Those familiar with Beautiful Tragedy‘s lead track, ‘Infinity Pool‘, may also notice a likeness in the two songs upon listening.

This is the first single off Conrad’s upcoming TIME EP, which is set to be released sometime in early 2018. Until that time arrives though, wrap up the year with this tranquil vibe.

The post Conrad Clifton’s Latest Track is a Double-Feature appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Those following the journey leading up to the album’s release may already be familiar with the latter three  singles (out of 4 total), which now come with a couple of well-placed interludes to comprise the first half of the album. Rappers Knesecary and Da Rookiez are also featured on the album, each with their own bars to lay down for the harder-hitting tracks ‘Nitemare’ and ‘Time’, respectively.

In the age of genre-blending, Beautiful Tragedy stands out as its own unique creation. It does a very good job of going beyond what’s expected, especially in regards to how certain sounds are brought together. This is most notable in the dichotomous track ‘All I Hear’.

The artwork itself stays true to the album title, as well as keeping with the recurring artwork theme seen in the previously released singles. Even the title track shares the same vibe, being a rather somber yet elegant tune; depending on which series/show(s) you’re currently watching these days, the overall theme may strike a chord with you. The album thus concludes with Conrad’s first single of the album, a remix of V Pages‘ ‘In & Out‘, which serves as a serene finish.

Check out Beautiful Tragedy below, and let it take you to another place!

The post Conrad Clifton creates a mosaic with <em>Beautiful Tragedy</em> appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Compared to the previously released single, ‘Infinity Pool‘, this tune takes on a much darker mood. A subtle and heavy bassline blankets over some synths, which are mostly deep at first. That is, until 2/3 of the way through where things become a little more electric. On the other hand, Knesecary is dropping massive bars throughout – adding his dark poetic flair to the beat, you feel the track’s overall brooding essence.

The full album, Beautiful Tragedy, is set to release later this month, on the 28th. There’s still another single to be released between now and then, so be on the lookout! Until then, you can download ‘Nitemare’ from any of the associated platforms.

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