Sometimes I think my cooking is pretty good. Then I encounter a plate of deliciousness coming from the kitchen of a true chef. Even before I touch the food to my lips, the presentation astounds me. The variety of shapes and colors are carefully arranged to please the eye. The first fragrance of spice stirs desire. The food itself is often an unusual, unexpected combination of flavours blended or boiled into a muted perfection, with no one component overwhelming the others.
This is the plate I encounter in Californian music producer KR3TURE‘s new folktronica single Freedom. Featuring the smooth, stunning vocal work of fellow American Catherine Feeny, the electronic ambiance is an unusual and refreshing combination of sounds and instrumentation. The song is anchored in soothing, heartbeat-like electronic pulses, while the earthy, human flavours of folk instrumentation are expertly woven throughout. Acoustic guitar lines texture the background almost imperceptibly. Long, light touches of piano chording shine warmth onto the soundscape.
Yet what really enamoured me in this song was the intuitive sprinkling in of the exotic, Eastern flavours of the Indian tabla. Each sound is perfectly placed for an elaborate and elegant presentation. The overall effect is a soothing, muted vibrancy for both body and soul.
For me, beautiful sound has never quite been enough to satisfy. The message and meaning of the song are integral to the whole experience. KR3TURE, a self-described “Ecologist, Musician, and Professional Human” invites Catherine Feeny‘s unconstrained, effortless vocal style to emote his theme of Freedom. The entire soundscape emotes and emits a sense of flying, of floating, of freedom.
I’ve been pulled along from town to town,
from year to year.
Been lower than the ocean, higher than the atmosphere,
grinning ear to ear.
But it never looked much like home,
‘Til you came along.
Based in Santa Cruz, KR3TURE plunged into his musical career in 2014. He delivered his debut self-titled LP in 2017 and sophomore follow-up On The Brink in Fall 2020. Freedom is his newest single released October 28, 2021.
