Cautious Clay Reinvents Himself on 'KARPEH'
Cautious Clay’s self titled album, as he was born Joshua Karpeh, is a stunning and introspective collection of generational stories. Building on his distinctive blend of soulful R&B, alternative indie, and now jazz, KARPEH is a record that showcases the songwriters growth, flexibility, and willingness to delve into genres that he finds great influence in.
Clay explained through an Instagram post that the record is separated into three defining themes. The first of these runs through tracks one to six, and is entitled “The Past Explained”. Clay shares that his family’s past, as well as his early life are what have molded his identity today. “Themes of unwavering self-reliance, the ‘tides’ of family/work life balance, race, and cultural identity” are all found in this section.
Opening the album, ‘Fishtown’ sets the tone with its ethereal production. Clay’s honeyed vocals glide over an intricate flute melody. Already, we hear the delicate and caring nature of familial relationships as Clay sings, “I don’t wanna live just to survive / We don’t gotta do this on our own”. ‘Karpehs Don’t Flinch’ highlights the sultry tone of the saxophone, as the spoken interlude-esque track creates the sense of intimacy that will continue to resonate as we learn more about the Karpeh family history.
“The Honeymoon of Exploration” is the second theme in KARPEH. This string of songs is about Clay’s experiences as he would branch out from his family. He would later come back and accept what he found throughout his self reflection process. This theme of the record will find “different forms of intimacy, psychedelic drugs, and togetherness”. The first two tracks on the honeymoon, ‘Another Half’ and ‘Repeat Myself’, have a dreamier motivation. The lyrics dive into the ideas of intimacy and desire: “So if I gave a fuck, you’re the one I’d send it to / I repeat myself, repeat myself to know I’m not alone”.
The four concluding songs tie up the final theme of the record, “A Bitter & Sweet Solitude”. This section embraces the beauty of being alone and finding truth among your everyday life. Clay states on his Instagram that, “There are themes of greed, death, and speaking for myself/my own needs. While this section lacks a lot of lyrical content, sonically it is oscillating between heavier/aggressive and more soft/mellow sonic components”. Especially in the closing tracks, Clay’s use of the bass, saxophone, and the flute are consistently gorgeous and limitless.
Clay steered in a different direction with KARPEH and succeeded to truly embody that in the ways that he recorded this album. An interview with HYPEBEAST revealed that Clay used very organic instrumentation while creating this record. He admits that, “I don’t usually do live drum recordings”, but he collaborated with some of his favorite instrumentalists during this process. The artist also used very early compositions from his childhood. Clay incorporates audio clips from various interviews with his family members, and has dedicated the album to his grandfather, who passed earlier this year at the age of 102.
Recorded in only six days, but with years of preparation and dedication, KARPEH is a project that has allowed Cautious Clay to dig into the deepest, most meaningful parts of his family’s history. The album is a testament to his artistic explorations, demonstrating a willingness to scout out new sonic territories, while staying true to his comforting R&B sound.