Kiefer 8211 kickinit alone LP

Californian keyboardist & beatmaker Kiefer (birthname Kiefer Shackelford) drops his debut LP on Leaving Records, which has enough jazz piano chops to transform L.A.\’s Low End Theory into a smokey speak easy. The title track from Kiefer\’s debut album, Kickinit Alone, is a striking entry to this lineage of hip-hop inextricably tethered to jazz. Kickinit Alone moves with a patient step, it\’s short piano phrase looping like it was ripped from a dusty vinyl and brought to life. The warm hiss of tape noise and subtle effects give the track a smokey vibe. But then the piano suddenly flips to a Rhodes-y sound, and the melody moves from it\’s blues center towards more muted hues. Even in brief divergences, Kiefer is a subtle showman, bringing depth to quiet flourishes. – Pitchfork