“What do you get when chillwave meets hip hop beats? …Conrad Clifton”
DJMAG
“…one word comes to mind. Bliss. Let Conrad Clifton take you on a journey”
YOUR MUSIC RADAR
“Conrad Clifton: The Next Big Thing”
PROJECT PLAY
Brooklyn based producer Conrad Clifton has assisted Grammy Award winning producers with projects for world famous artists but recently he’s struck out on his own with a distinctive hybrid of house, electronica, soul and R&B. With a back catalogue of impressive self-released EPs such as DO U, Mourning Gold and Post Post/Future Everything plus the inclusion of his production ‘Down’ (performed by Yelawolf) on Eminem‘s SHADY XV compilation and his captivating live performance at the first ever Billboard Hot 100 Music Festival his name is swiftly becoming synonymous with emotive, soul-enriched electronic music.
Following his acclaimed remixes of ‘American Oxygen’ by Rihanna and ‘Single’ by L’Étranger the stroboscopic shimmer of new EP If I Were Me gestures at Clifton’s enviably broad range as a songwriter and producer. The listener might pick up on elements in common with Hudson Mohawke, Boards Of Canada, Flying Lotus, IKONIKA, Toro y Moi and The-Dream but equally they’ll be struck by the music’s individual character and irrefutable emotional impact.
“My sound is a crazy mixture of all of my influences, from hip-hop, electronic, alt rock, house, bass, and all types of dance music,” says Clifton. “But also, film scores. I love to convey different emotions through my music. I want my music to be able to go with you anywhere and with any situation (the club, the car ride, train ride, house party, a date, a lonely night, or even while you sleep). No matter what, it will be personal to you.”
The beautifully evocative and brilliantly titled ‘If U Were Here, I’d Be Home Now’ serves as a fine example of Clifton’s hyper-detailed and accessible approach to electronic songcraft. Melodies layer and overlap in a fashion reminiscent of Prince circa the more electronically biased moments of the Purple Rain soundtrack – a la ‘I Would Die 4 U’ – guitar stabs and synthetic horns collide to melancholy effect while synthesizers fizz and crackle through a neon-lit-world.
Listen to full EP via Spotify here: