life imitates art
making art, to me, has always been built on the foundation of passion and authenticity. i've never been able to make something i'm happy with unless those two factors are satisfied. when i started making music, the idea of it initially was really tongue-in-cheek. it was more of a joke than a reality. at this point, that was close to seven years ago.when i did start making music, i quickly realized how much i got out of the process and the end result when i was able to put a piece of myself into the work.my first goal was to make a complete project, which was my first mixtape. this project today certainly doesn't stand with anything i've made since then, but to me, it's still an important piece of my journey making music. without diving into the process of creating this art, there would have been no way to grow and improve. i learned the basics of writing, recording, and using the least effective daw known to man (audacity).but for me, that project is the seed that has only continued to grow.after making "cap," i came to understand that if i wanted to feel satisfied, i had to improve and put in the hours to make it happen.the second project, "love is the key," was a testament to putting that time into my new outlet for creativity. at the same time, i also started using the creative process as an outlet for my thoughts and feelings that i felt were too heavy if not put over a beat for someone to listen to.for me, this was a turning point for my music. as i started taking it more seriously, i started putting more of myself into my writing.this is where life and art intersect for me. writing for "love is the key" was my therapy. going through various things most young men have to navigate at some point in life led me to take that energy and push it into something positive. making this album was very special because of this.since then, i've made two eps and continued my journey learning about my art and myself in parallel. over this time, i never really felt the need to make another solo album. not because i didn't want to, but because my heart didn't have anything to express at length.towards the end of the process of "dangerous places" with vino, that changed pretty rapidly.the end of 2022 and the majority of 2023 were challenging times in my personal life. an ending relationship under difficult circumstances, coupled with trying to find myself through the healing process, and family passing. it has been a lot. but in the context of music, it serves as the best fuel for writing and turning those experiences into something beautiful.while in the middle of the production for the last ep i released, i finally dove into learning full production for my music. doing full instrumentation was always a big goal of mine. the thing i didn't expect was to learn things so fast.the culmination of the new challenge of full in-house production, and a ton of life experiences to write about, led me to my greatest project to date.
art imitates life
my new album means so much to me in so many ways.sonically, i believe the work i've put into the production will showcase a new sound that is both unique and more natural to the vibe i wanted to get across to the listener. every drum, every sample, every melody, harmony, bassline. everything you will hear on this album was done by me. i put so much time into listening back to make sure i could create the best possible sound.my writing and vocal performance is something i'm very happy within this project. i spent many hours learning better and more efficient ways to ensure my voice comes across clear, clean, and direct. a brand new mixing chain, new plugins. it sounds really good. the tone of the performances was something i needed to feel natural while also not sounding repetitive.the construction of this album was done very intentionally. the amount of different sounds required it to have the ability to be listened to in order without it feeling random. from the hard start of the intro, it will take you on a journey through all the different vibes, and you may not like all of them. but that's okay. i just hope there's something you can enjoy.the writing underwent some new processes as well, with the lyrics feeling and sounding more natural on the track. it was important to me to still be authentic and heartfelt in the messaging. there's a lot of different emotions and experiences put into the words you will hear in this album. i was proud of my ability to balance creative writing with direct, truthful, honest words and real-life events.the first and only single from this album was the last song in this project i wrote and recorded. it is a sincere, heartfelt message and certainly the most honest and transparent song on the album. it's a perfect opening act that will make sure you're listening. i think it perfectly captures every aspect that i love about this album—a wonderful beat that progresses as you listen, great tone, lyrics, and sound quality. if there's one song i would ask you to listen to, it's this first single.to anyone that's read this far, you're a little off in the head, for one. but honestly, i appreciate anybody that feels moved enough to read any of this or listen to what i've created. i think as i've grown older, i realize more and more that it's the interactions from one human to another that really make life worthwhile. i've always kept a small group of really close friends, so using music and other forms of art has always been better for me to make connections with other people outside of that circle.and let me be crystal clear, this is the greatest piece of art i've ever created. this is the new standard going forward.i look forward to sharing release info very soon. the first single, and then soon after, the album.i love each and every one of you.yours truly...
rob/YL
