Original Classic was released in November with features from well-known artists like Juicy-J, Lido Pimienta, and Haviah Mighty, just to name a few. In light of this highly successful release Keys N Krates sat down with Quip to discuss the new direction they’ve taken and how it came to fruition.

Cait Schmitz: How has the tour been going, was it exciting being back on your home turf in Toronto with your new album?

Keys N Krates: Yeah that was a highlight for sure. I guess it’s a little weird, we played a couple of sets in September, so it sort of felt like it started then. But I guess we officially started a couple of weeks ago and playing Toronto was definitely a highlight.

CS: Is it different playing festivals vs smaller intimate concerts?

KNK: I think there are pros and cons to both. Playing a festival sometimes feels like a sprint, but there’s also something to be said about a large crowd all dancing together at a huge venue… 

The band explained how smaller clubs give them the time to explore what they can do with certain beats and really get the audience vibing to different tempos. They also spoke to how the album came to be and how their process is largely a collaborative effort and they thrive off feedback from one another as well as critiques or suggestions from select others. Almost every song includes influences from all three of the group members, but they do give space for individual creative freedoms in order to explore their own distinct sounds. 

CS: Your music has quite a blend of different influences, especially on this new album, can you speak on where you drew influences for this album?

KNK: So we had already started this album before going into the pandemic. We kind of had an idea of what we wanted to do. I think the three of us after our last couple of projects knew what direction we wanted to go in. Our last few projects were more dance-driven and we wanted to continue in that direction heading away from just trap.

The one goal they had with this project, the band commented, was finding their place in dance music and really understanding how to make people groove and dance from a more global standpoint. Safe to say that goal came to fruition because this thirteen-track album does a fantastic job of blending together house, hip hop as well as dance music.

CS: Original Classic has a ton of collaborations with some incredible artists, was it easy working with these other artists?

KNK: It was actually really great. We love working with artists who might not have done something like this within their own body of work.

Haviah Mighty was an artist they really enjoyed collaborating with because together they were able to bring out aspects of her strengths she doesn’t normally use in her own work. Her work is incredible to begin with (hence the Polaris prize) but it was fascinating to travel in a different direction together, the band shared. 

Reflecting on other collaborations  Jr Flo expressed how the group wanted to do something different with a lot of the artists featured on the album and explore what they could do when pushed into a style of music that was maybe outside their normal genre. Pushing musicians outside of their comfort zones is often when you can get the best results, KNK pointed out with passion. It would also be evident pushing the limits is something they apply to their own work, we have come a long way from “Dum Dee Dum” and this growth is an ongoing adventure.

Keys N Krates new album Original Classic was released November 12^th and is an album you won’t want to miss. The group has just embarked on a tour with dates continuing all throughout the winter and into the spring – hopefully. This band of intricate rhythms and various styles are absolutely worth the listen and their live shows are a party you will want to attend.

Images by Mitch Brown, courtesy of the artist

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You all remember “Dum Dee Dum,” with the amount of shows the band embarks on it’s more than likely that track had you dancing at least once. The new work is more melodic and baselined, and we are way past “Dum Dee Dum” with tracks like “Glitter” and “Something Wonderful” that speak to a wider range of audience and offer a lot more listening opportunities. CURA is Keys N Krates maturing in the musical world. 

This most recent show was possibly one of the smallest they’ve had in Toronto. The tiny stage was barely enough room for them all to be comfortable, the lack of space also made it a rather a-typical set up for them – no one in the center, everyone equal, everyone cozy. A tight crowd of plus-ones lined up behind the stage leaning on a metal fence while the rest of the room was getting sweaty on the dance floor. 

The set covered all the basis: the bass-centric sound, the live scratching, teasers and samples, a bit of dub, a bit of hip-hop and generally a whole lot of beats dropping. Halfway through the night, the trio jumped on the Latin bandwagon with their own take on Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin’s “I Like It” which the crowd, naturally, went crazy for. Hey, who wouldn’t want to party with J Balvin, pick a time and place, we’ll be there. By the time we got to “Treat Me Right” and “Keep it 100,” the floors were sticky and almost everyone in the room has switched their gear to “rave mode.” 

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You’ve seen nothing until you’ve seen Elmo get low with a bunch of dudes in neon tanks and “Billionaire Boys Club” t-shits. Everyone was keeping it 100%, even Minnie Mouse got moves and the cotton candy sugar rush was only fueling the celebratory hype.

The stage was tucked away at the back of the yard under trees and you had to find odd corners around the space to be able to see the DJs through the blinding sun. Every now and then you’d spot an occasional body facing the wrong way while hundreds of people are throwing shapes, tossing vocal compliments towards the stage.

The day started off with Toronto’s local Harrison who has been making appearances around various major festivals across the city all summer. Though humble in appearance Harrison always delivers an upbeat set to get the party started. Tennyson, a brother-sister duo from Edmonton, are another two kids on the scene worth paying attention to. Making soft, glitchy electronic beats with a variety of drums, Luke Tennyson and Tess Pretty came together as a perfect soundtrack to melting crushed blue ice.

Ganz had trouble at the border and could not make his set but Tom Wrecks, one half of Thugli, stepped in for a respectable nearly hour-and-a-half-long performance. Playing classics from the Thugli repertoire and club heavy hitters from Ludacris’ “Move Bitch” and Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money” to Jamie XX’s “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)”, Wrecks got everyone dancing.

Flat White was also delayed but was welcomed on stage with an epic introduction by Jr. Flo and David Matisse who then stepped off the stage to wander around talk to party guests. For the first little while Flat White seemed a bit out of his element but once he got going with the crowd’s favorites from Drake’s “Energy” to a James Blake throwback the set came together into a solid performance.

Just Blaze stepped in right after dropping faster, more energetic trap-heavy tracks getting the crowd worked up for the final performance of the day. The Keys N Krates chant happened earlier in the day but things did not get real till the birthday crew took the stage. Light. Them. UP!

KNK clearly likes birthday parties. We like birthday parties. You definitely liked this birthday party. Let’s do another one next year, same time, same place, same creepy Elmo.

See more photos from the KnK Birthday Party here.

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One of the acts that kicked off the festival embodies electronic music, but with a hip-hop flavor. Toronto based trio, Keys ‘N Krates consists of David Matisse (keyboard player), Adam Tune (drummer), and Jr. Flo (turntablist). The group’s new EP Every Nite drops on September 23 and is spearheaded by the new single, “Are We Faded”. In support of their upcoming release, Keys ‘N Krates will hit the road this fall touring across North America alongside Gladiator and THUGLI.

Quip had a quick chat with Keys ‘N Krates about performing at the North Coast Music Festival, their upcoming tour, and their new EP, Every Nite.

Sherron Shabazz: What does it mean to you to perform at the North Coast Music Festival?

David Matisse: Man, we love North Coast. Played it a couple years back and it was one of our first big festival plays. Kids from Chicago always come out to party, so love being back this year.

SS: You guys are on the road for the next few months on the Every Nite tour. How will the tour dates be different from your North Coast performance?

Jr. Flo: Festival sets are usually limited to 45 minutes or an hour, so we try to bang out tunes and get the crowd super hyped from start to finish. On this tour, our set time will be a bit longer, so we can take the opportunity to be more musical and bring the crowd along on this ride that we’ll create.

SS: How’d the single “Are We Faded” come together?

DM: I waved a magical wand and it kind of just appeared. Ha!

SS: Explain the title of the new EP, Every Nite.

JF: The EP has a dark vibey feel too it. Something that you can just throw on every night.

SS: What can fans expect to hear on the Every Nite EP?

Adam Tune: They can expect to hear a composition of work that blends together and not just individual songs. It’s probably our most musical work to date. We’re really stoked on it!

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