It’s been almost a year since the dynamic trio elevated their sound after crafting Cura, which was released as their debut artist album on Dim Mak Records in 2018. Reflecting upon a sonic evolution of many years in the making, Cura sees KEYS N KRATES evolving from revered instrumental beat-makers into musically sophisticated producers and song writers. Now with a full-length debut album, multiple EP releases and plenty of down time in the books, the crew has a new creative vision set forth as they continue to progress their creative sonic world delivering a high energy, hard hitting, soulful 11 track and 24 minute mixtape A Beat Tape For Your Friends.
The mixtape revisits the sample based, boom-bap beats and harmonious vocal layers that have become a cornerstone of the Keys N Krates aesthetic. The hard hitting instrumentals romp through over a decades worth of genre changing sounds from early hip-hop sample based beats to modern satiny synth driven electronic leads and melds them through disco-tinged future R&B grooves, and rising sensational vocal layers. Soulful electronic music created with an organic touch, elevated to a mature intrinsically eclectic sound.
Producing music for over a decades long now, the Toronto natives, KEYS N KRATES have carved an extensive and remarkable path for them selves following a bass-centric, sample-driven sound which melds the realms of electronic, hip-hop, and beyond. The trio ensemble—composed of drummer Adam Tune, keyboardist David Matisse, and turntablist Jr. .Flo (Greg Dawson) — has built a venerable reputation as one of the leading live electronic acts today on the strength of their onstage instrumentation and energetic sets. With the release of A Beat Tape For Your Friends, the crew continues to yet again push the limits of their strength as sonic sensations, with what feels like the accumulation of many years in the making coming together in one 11 track song compilation.
Pictured above from L to R KEYS N KRATES David Matisse, Jr. Flo., Adam Tune. Photo credit: Rhyan Correia
Keys N Krates first broke into the mainstream with the SOLOW EP, released on Dim Mak in 2013, and featured the breakthrough single “Dum Dee Dum”, which recently received gold certification in the US in 2017. Since it’s release, the track’s cheeky official music video was nominated for a Prism Prize by the Association for Music and Innovative Arts in Canada as well as a Berlin Music Video Award in Germany in 2014. In 2013, the group later released a remix of the track featuring a collection of buzzing Chicago-based rappers, including G.O.O.D. Music’s Cyhi the Prynce (Cydel Charles Young), as well as King Louie (Louis King Johnson, Jr.), and Tree (Tremaine Johnson). Elsewhere, the group released “Keep it 100” on Mad Decent Records in 2014 as a collaboration with producer/DJ Gradtheft, which was featured in a trailer for the animated film Minions in 2015 and won for Best EDM/Dance Video in the 2015 Much Music Video Awards in Canada. In 2016, Keys N Krates took home their first win at the Juno Awards in Canada in the Dance Recording of the Year category for their song “Save Me,” off the Midnite Mass EP, released on Dim Mak Records in 2016, featuring British singer / songwriter Katy B. The group’s discography also includes the Everynite EP (Dim Mak, 2014), LUCID DREAMS EP (Dim Mak, 2013), Blackout EP (2011), as well as numerous remixes.
KEYS N KRATES upcoming concert kicks off tonight, July 19, 8:30-9:30 PM MST on the Tundra Stage for Global Dance Festival 2019 at the Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, CO, US. Tickets can be purchased here.
Stream & Download A Beat Tape For Your Friends on all platforms here.
For more information on KEYS N KRATES, please visit:
Website: https://www.keysnkrates.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keysnkrates/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keysnkrates
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/keysnkratestv
Twitter: https://twitter.com/keysnkrates
Tour Dates: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/316561
For inquiries for KEYS N KRATES please contact:
Management: get@keysnkrates.com
PR: nick@orienteer.us | duncan@orienteer.us
US/Canada/Asia Bookings: jmoss@paradigmagency.com | CChapman@paradigmagency.com
Europe/Australia Bookings: paul@primarytalent.com