Go ahead and try to Shazam that special song at the next Keys N Krates show — you might not find it. That's because restraint is part of the magic for this Toronto producer-DJ trio.
"There's this whole culture of releasing music constantly right now, and doing everything for attention," Keys N Krates member Greg Dawson tells Exclaim! during a video call. Some of their best DJ set cuts, like their inventive remix of Destiny's Child's "Say My Name," are exclusive to that live setting in order to create something special.
His bandmate David Matisse agrees, saying, "It's one of the old-school things about music I enjoy — not being able to have the track you want and having to wait for it. It's so rare these days. I love knowing when a fan comes to our live show that they can't hear some of those sounds anywhere else. We need more of that."
Keys N Krates don't stop at creatively sampling R&B greats. They also teamed up with Ciara on "Fantasy," a highlight off their new '90s New York house-inspired album, IN:TENSION (out November 10, with a hometown show to follow on December 9 at Toronto's Velvet Underground).
"It's always cool to do songs with an artist as talented as Ciara," Matisse says. "I'm looking forward to seeing how our fans respond to the track when we play it at our shows. And I hope Ciara fans will get a kick out of hearing her do her thing on something so house-driven."
Dawson agrees, pointing out that, even though Ciara is an R&B dance legend thanks to her breakout hit "1, 2 Step," this new collab is fresh sonic terrain.
When asked about the rattling percussion for that song, Adam Tune — who became known as the band's drummer when Keys N Krates would recreate their albums' songs by meticulously playing instruments show after show — says "Fantasy" started as an industrial-sounding techno track. Tune adds: "I think I'm always trying to not just do conventional house, but mix it with other styles of dance music."
Dawson agrees that Key N Krates are all about delving into — and then subverting — tropes. He says, "We don't like stuff that sounds too up-the-middle in any genre. So, for us, it's important to have a juxtaposition between the hard and edgy and the sweeter and smoother stuff."
At the same time, Dawson says using house as a springboard for IN:TENSION has been very fulfilling: "We love the constrictions of house, its 125 [bpm] tempo, and the way people move to that."
The album's other highlights include "This Is What Girls Do," which is punchy and tightly wound by abrasive bass; the sprinting percussion and distorted horns of "Get Up," and the old-school soul of "Say You Love Me."
IN:TENSION is also a snapshot of a group at its most productive. As of late, they have been DJing their new music, a departure from the concerts they'd put on as a band. The result is more conducive to creativity. Dawson calls it "such a great feedback loop, allowing us to constantly make new music and test it in real time. Our output has never been higher." The requirements of playing as a live band never allowed for that, says Dawson, explaining: "Three minutes of a set required two weeks of rehearsal. It wasn't liberating at all!"
Matisse says that change in tack has been very rewarding. "Sometimes, when music becomes your profession you don't get to just 'play' around as much as you might like to. But with our process, now anyone of us at any time can pick up whatever instrument or piece of gear that inspires us and create with it."
Thanks to that, their roles have become as invigoratingly eclectic as their music. Or, as Matisse jokes: "Yes, I play keys professionally. But I now really enjoy being a below-average drummer and guitar player, and recording those sounds too!"
"There's this whole culture of releasing music constantly right now, and doing everything for attention," Keys N Krates member Greg Dawson tells Exclaim! during a video call. Some of their best DJ set cuts, like their inventive remix of Destiny's Child's "Say My Name," are exclusive to that live setting in order to create something special.
His bandmate David Matisse agrees, saying, "It's one of the old-school things about music I enjoy — not being able to have the track you want and having to wait for it. It's so rare these days. I love knowing when a fan comes to our live show that they can't hear some of those sounds anywhere else. We need more of that."
Keys N Krates don't stop at creatively sampling R&B greats. They also teamed up with Ciara on "Fantasy," a highlight off their new '90s New York house-inspired album, IN:TENSION (out November 10, with a hometown show to follow on December 9 at Toronto's Velvet Underground).
"It's always cool to do songs with an artist as talented as Ciara," Matisse says. "I'm looking forward to seeing how our fans respond to the track when we play it at our shows. And I hope Ciara fans will get a kick out of hearing her do her thing on something so house-driven."
Dawson agrees, pointing out that, even though Ciara is an R&B dance legend thanks to her breakout hit "1, 2 Step," this new collab is fresh sonic terrain.
When asked about the rattling percussion for that song, Adam Tune — who became known as the band's drummer when Keys N Krates would recreate their albums' songs by meticulously playing instruments show after show — says "Fantasy" started as an industrial-sounding techno track. Tune adds: "I think I'm always trying to not just do conventional house, but mix it with other styles of dance music."
Dawson agrees that Key N Krates are all about delving into — and then subverting — tropes. He says, "We don't like stuff that sounds too up-the-middle in any genre. So, for us, it's important to have a juxtaposition between the hard and edgy and the sweeter and smoother stuff."
At the same time, Dawson says using house as a springboard for IN:TENSION has been very fulfilling: "We love the constrictions of house, its 125 [bpm] tempo, and the way people move to that."
The album's other highlights include "This Is What Girls Do," which is punchy and tightly wound by abrasive bass; the sprinting percussion and distorted horns of "Get Up," and the old-school soul of "Say You Love Me."
IN:TENSION is also a snapshot of a group at its most productive. As of late, they have been DJing their new music, a departure from the concerts they'd put on as a band. The result is more conducive to creativity. Dawson calls it "such a great feedback loop, allowing us to constantly make new music and test it in real time. Our output has never been higher." The requirements of playing as a live band never allowed for that, says Dawson, explaining: "Three minutes of a set required two weeks of rehearsal. It wasn't liberating at all!"
Matisse says that change in tack has been very rewarding. "Sometimes, when music becomes your profession you don't get to just 'play' around as much as you might like to. But with our process, now anyone of us at any time can pick up whatever instrument or piece of gear that inspires us and create with it."
Thanks to that, their roles have become as invigoratingly eclectic as their music. Or, as Matisse jokes: "Yes, I play keys professionally. But I now really enjoy being a below-average drummer and guitar player, and recording those sounds too!"
