From Oklahoma to Los Angeles, the genre-blending Artist, Instrumentalist, and Producer Keith Austin releases his funky debut EP, 'Turning It On.'
While blending the sounds of Pop, R&B, and Neo-Soul, Keith Austin is eagerly embarking on his career journey through his extensive history of live performance. Making music that moves listeners, physically and emotionally, we're ready to feel something with his debut project, 'Turning It On.'
The EP begins with the title track "Turning It On," opening the project with immense grooves and a funky yet modern appeal. With bright and rhythmic synths, light melodic keys, and a gripping bassline, Keith Austin's colorful and playful vocals appear while depicting the vast history between him and a past lover.
Encouraging listeners to move on from their comfort zone that's been beaten and battered with exhaustion, Keith Austin's supporting production contrasts the song's concept with incredibly bright electronic pads, synths, and impeccable arrangement. We love the energy that Keith Austin has placed into his EP thus far, and we're excited to see where the rest of the project takes us.
Dropping everything with the second track "Grooving On The Red Line," have we mentioned how similar Keith Austin's vocals and overall performance is to Justin Timberlake's?
Austin exudes this unhindered confidence and swagger while his sparkling vocals win any listener over. Through warm brass instrumentals, Maroon 5-esque electric guitar melodies, and ambient background keys, the song delivers this automatic need to dance along with the track's lively instrumentals. Keith Austin's lyricism paints playful pictures of living life to the fullest and forgetting all woes until the next day, while the track pushes through with incredible energy and infectious grooves.
A plucky bassline and nostalgic Synth-Pop drum patterns overpower the next tune "Love Song," while Keith Austin makes his heartfelt vocal appearance and tells an unfortunate story of avoiding the repetition of grueling cycles. While daydreamy Electro-Pop instrumentals mold the song's atmosphere to be incredibly bright and spacious, we love the contrast that Keith Austin brings with his reflective and introspective lyrical concept.
The supporting instrumentals swell to this fluttering and hi-fi Pop atmosphere with each electric guitar melody, rhythmic synth, and gripping drum break. We love the passion and heart that Keith Austin has infused into this track, as we're grooving away with his relatable lyrics and thrilling production.
Deepening the EP's passion with the fourth track "Later Tonight," Keith Austin pushes a sultry and heavily intriguing atmosphere within this intoxicating tune. As the song opens with spacious droning synths, short electric guitar bursts, and equally stimulating synth melodies, the track starts with an exhilarating sensation for the jump.
While Keith Austin begins to serenade us through his warm and rich vocals, he begins to describe his emotions towards someone who has this compelling hold over him. While playfully questioning what she's up to later tonight, the surrounding production thumps down with an electrifying sensation through the song's precise rhythm and dream-like synth arrangement.
The next song "Come And Go" stops us dead in our tracks. The tune opens with a drifting and eerie synth that's met with R&B-inspired drum patterns. While accompanied by a steady and sensual bassline and gripping mid-tempo drums, Keith Austin's warm vocals begin to serenade us through his lyrics of complete and utter devotion, stating that this kind of love doesn't "Come And Go." While the groovy instrumentals continue, Austin's lyrical concept begins to deepen through describing the endless and infinite love he has for this person. The song's atmosphere is serene and delicate, allowing listeners to feel every inch of Keith Austin's aching desire.
Brightening the EP with the outro track "Hands Down," the song opens with a highly playful tone from the very beginning. With unique percussion patterns, short and plucky electric guitar, and a growling synth, we're left floating above with the song's stimulating sonics. Once Keith Austin begins describing the relentless passion and desire he holds for the fairest of them all, we're highly relating with the longing sensation that he describes ever so clearly.
With added ghost vocals and punchy drum hits, the song's vibrant atmosphere continues to push through with each intricate instrumental and Keith Austin's desirous lyricism. Closing his EP with boundless love and the highest of vibes, we can't get enough of the project's overall experience.
Keith Austin has released food for the soul with his debut EP "Turning It On." With each intricate and deftly-produced track, the project pushes listeners into a positive space through lively instrumentals and Keith Austin's stimulating vocals.
We can't get enough of the energy and passion you've infused into your debut EP, 'Turning It On.' What inspired you to take this unique sonic route with your electronic instrumentals/production?
First of all, thank you very much for your appreciation and kind words. I would say that my inspiration for the production on this record mostly comes from me taking elements of the musical styles that I like and grew up with and then rearranging/combining them into something new. For example, I love disco, funk guitars, and the sounds of classic EPs like a Fender Rhodes or Wurlitzers, but I also love the modern sounds of shimmering synth pads and trap drums. Growing up in Oklahoma gave me an appreciation for the rich vocal harmony productions inherent to much of country music. I tried to use this record as an opportunity to combine all those things into something fresh and hopefully a little different. We've heard that your EP 'Turning It On' is a personal and honest exercise of self-reflection. What pushed you to create an EP that not only informs listeners on who you are but allows them to get to know you below the surface?
I suddenly found myself with a lot of time on my hands during quarantine and knew I had to opportunity and possibly an obligation to do something productive with it. I don’t think I’ve ever been really good at self-reflection, so making this record was a bit like ongoing therapy for me. Overall, “Turning It On” is deeply personal, but I think relatable enough that listeners will identify with many of the sentiments contained in the songs as they draw their own meaning from the lyrics. So while it may help them learn something about me, I’m hoping that by listening to it, they may also learn something about themselves. Seeing as the EP 'Turning It On' surrounds personal inner-reflection, which track on the project was the most personal and close to your heart?
My favorite track on the record has to be “Come and Go.” Not only is it somewhat sonically unique from the rest of the EP, but the lyrics describe the balancing act of maintaining a sense of “self” while also learning to be “selfless” in a long-term relationship. It's a challenge that many people say they want... but few are prepared for. This track is an exploration of my personal journey with that. Within your EP 'Turning It On,' there are moments where you become quite vulnerable and open with your lyricism. Did you face any challenges when being so vulnerable during your songwriting process, or was the endeavor fairly seamless?
I think it has always been difficult for me to be emotionally open, but I feel like the process of writing songs helps me get there in a way that I otherwise couldn’t. I wanted to create something as authentic as possible, so as you can imagine, it needed to borrow heavily from my own experiences. I think that’s what I would enjoy personally in a record and what I wanted to do for anyone else willing to listen. Now that you've released your debut EP, 'Turning It On,' should listeners anticipate to hear this bright Electro-Pop/R&B sound with your future releases?
“Turning It On” definitely captures my “sound” better than any previous music project to date, but to be honest, I’m constantly in the studio experimenting with sound design and new production techniques. I’m very excited about how my future work will sound. It's the reason I keep at it and why every day continues to be a new adventure.