Enjoy the colorful calm of FKJ’s new release: V I N C E N T
Paris-based electronic music producer and multi-instrumentalist French Kiwi Juice—or FKJ for short—has just released his latest work, full-length album titled V I N C E N T. FKJ was born Vincent Fenton, and started composing music at an early age. According to an interview with Alternative press, this album was a journey into a contemplative state of innocence from FKJ’s experiences creating music as a child. He strove to create a signature sound that would evoke both the sense of freedom from perfectionism, as well as the exploration that a child feels when creating music without any pressure or expectations. The album definitely proficiently weaves together the sounds of jazz, soul and electronic music, and the whole album is mellow and pleasurable to listen to.
The album starts with “Way Out,” with a simple and soothing piano background, some strings and a calm layered vocalization saying the words “way out” on repeat before the beat comes in underneath it all. This song is hopeful in both music and lyrics, all while retaining a detached sense of calm throughout.
The second song on the album, “Greener,” features guitarist Carlos Santana. It is a bit faster-paced, with more rhythmic complexity and a relaxed mood. Santana solos throughout the whole piece, a striking addition to the track.
The saxophone in “Us,” the third song on the album, plays a playful and pleasurable melodic motif throughout this jazzy song. The track features some electronic sounds that complement the more acoustic feel of the rest of the piece. Like the other songs on this album, the mood of this song is very laid back, but there is a satisfying amount of movement throughout and even some surprising horn motifs at some points.
FKJ’s partner, ((( O ))), collaborates with him on “Brass Necklace,” one of the more ethereal pieces on this album. ((( O )))’s soft vocals are complemented by a keyboard solo that plays along throughout the verses, giving the song a colorful mood. The song is somewhat minimalistic in instrumentation but conveys a very strong sense of peace and love nonetheless.
“Let’s Live” is another one of the higher-tempo tracks on this album. It has a mood that feels similar to what someone might feel walking through a brightly-lit city at night. It is full of movement and liveliness, while still retaining the rest of the album’s laid-back nature.
With “Once Again I Close My Eyes,” the album returns to a mellow mood. The saxophone that starts this piece enters with a fluid melodic theme and then is joined by soft rhythmic and vocal accompaniment. Although the whole album is centered around a theme of contemplativeness, this track feels the most like what it feels like to sit and think, with different motifs combining to create a collage of moods throughout the piece.
Enjoy this album in a quiet space with a cup of coffee or tea, chilling with friends or contemplating. FKJ’s new release V I N C E N T really captures that free, creative feeling of making art for fun.
Leave a Comment