Conrad Clifton: IS IT YOU: Beat Tape (Full Circle)
Feature: Inside The Album
Conrad Clifton is a Brooklyn-based electronic artist, and label founder at Infinity Pool Recordings. He blends electronic music and hip-hop together in unique and daring ways, that tell a tale through each tune. With over 2 Million streams on Spotify, Conrad is fresh out of the studio and delivered his fresh new album “IS IT YOU: Beat Tape (Full Circle)”. We’re lucky enough to chat with Conrad and hear all about the journey.
13 years… Woah, congrats! Tell us about the vision you had for this body of work.
Thanks, I really appreciate that! It’s been a crazy journey. I’ve done so many different styles of music over the years, and I just felt like it was the perfect time to bring it all full circle — to the origins of where I started musically. ‘IS IT YOU: Beat Tape (Full Circle)’ is meant to follow up last summer’s album ‘Get Your Whole Life’. It’s a concept piece that builds off the theme of “Is It You” — the only hip-hop track on an uptempo, electronic album. The two albums exist in the same space, whereas the second one is a bonus to the first.
I’ve lived in Brooklyn for 10 years now, and have been releasing music for 8 years. Most of the tracks on this album were made while I was still in Atlanta, and most of my production was still sample-heavy. Also, I didn’t have the musical outlets that I do now. The way I learned to manipulate samples back then, listening to J Dilla, Pete Rock and Q-Tip, still influences the way I produce today. I wanted to revisit that sound with my listeners, and hopefully connect some dots musically. Also, I just wanted to put out some dope hip-hop beats.
How did you approach the track selection process?
I have an old hard drive with tons of unreleased music, and I go back and listen to that stuff from time to time, to see if there’s anything I can use for current projects. There’s always a few tracks that would never get old, and I’d hear them and fall in love with them all over again. That’s where I started. Then, I decided which tracks I could update with some modern production elements.
That’s what made the album, as well as a lot of tracks that didn’t. Once I had an idea of how I wanted the album to flow, I knew that I also wanted to make some new songs — to link that older sound to my current sound. “dreambutdontsleep” was specifically made with this in mind. And I end the album with “Bath Candles Is Lit”, because it also fits well with my current sound.
How many tracks were in the contender list?
I narrowed it down from about 20 tracks. I wanted it to be the perfect duration, and really, really cohesive. I put in a lot of effort to make sure that the energy flows from song to song, so you could just play through without skipping. And the last song flows back into the first song, so it’s easy to put the album on repeat.
How did you know that the album was complete?
Well, I got to a point where I had all the songs lined up perfectly in order, but I felt like I was missing some sort of break, or intermission. I wanted something theatrical that would keep the listener engaged, and looking forward to what comes next. So I found a great clip from the movie ‘Coffy’, and edited it down to fit perfectly between “Is It You” and “Black Dynamite (I Am Smiling)”.
The clip actually features the original song that I sampled for “Black Dynamite” — which was pretty crazy, because I’d just found the clip… 12 years after I produced the track. Anyway, once I had that, I knew the album was done.
Did you have anyone that was your go to ear for feedback?
I’m really guarded about my projects, until the very end — no one ever gets to hear the album until it’s done. This one is special though, because it’s the old Conrad meeting the new Conrad. So before finalizing everything, I asked my wife to listen to it. She’s the only one that knows the old me and the new me, both personally and creatively. She’s also an artist, so from that point of view, she’s super honest and critical. Once I got her stamp of approval, I was really confident in the project.
What was the biggest lesson you learnt while on this journey?
Listeners just want good music, and it all comes down to their enjoyment. A lot of bloggers don’t seem to be open enough to that, or they just overthink stuff too much, and play it safe. What I’ve learned is that the listeners far outweigh the bloggers, and that every “NO” that I received was overwritten by all the listeners in my comments and DMs, saying how much they love the album.
Also, there’s a big difference between the writers that’ve been supporting my music, and those that give weak excuses NOT to. The former are true music lovers, with a proven track record of good taste, and are unafraid to take calculated risks. I have a great appreciation for them.
What tips or suggestions do you have for anyone about to start or is currently on their own album journey?
In my opinion, an album should be about a cohesive journey from beginning to end, as opposed to just being a collection of good songs. But the first approach is more difficult than the second.
It’s really easy to put together a collection of good songs, but that won’t really keep the listener engaged in your album.
I think you should put in the extra effort to weed out those songs that don’t necessarily fit the musical progression that’s happening throughout the project. Not that the songs are bad, but that they can possibly be used elsewhere, sacrificing them for the bigger picture of an effortless listening experience.
What’s your favourite record on the album and why?
Woah, that’s tough. I guess it would be “thatswheniknewyouwastheone”, for a few reasons. I feel like this track never gets old — it’s super unique, but not too far leftfield — and I could have it on repeat forever. Also, this is one of the tracks that made my wife fall in love with me, so it’s really special. That’s where the name of the track somes from — it’s what she remembers about that time, back when I made it.
Are you planning any shows around the release?
I have a few DJ gigs coming up, like Ludlow House NYC on March 20th. But mainly, I’ve been more concerned with getting the music out into the world. I’ve put in so much effort, just doing that! Now, I might just step back a bit, and let the listeners live with these 2 albums for a while. See where the music takes me next… Hopefully to a manager, booking agent, and global tour!
Check out Conrad Clifton on Emanate
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