Stumbling across a well-rounded talent like singer, songwriter, and producer Kai Straw feels like a rare occurrence. Hailing from the Bay Area, Straw caught some major accolades via his last album, Toothpick, that awarded the artist placements on Spotify's Best Fresh Finds, and support from fans in high places including Demi Lovato and K.Flay.
Having transitioned from a producer/rapper, Straw seems to have found a personal sweet spot as an indie vocalist, something he showcases on his new album, Gun. Out now, Straw's new album builds on a time tested recipe- organic instrumentation, catchy hooks, unique composition, and remarkable songwriting. Combining everything from soul to pop to R&B, Gun sees Straw switch gears a number of times. Standout cuts like "They Sent You" sees Straw dabble with a funkier tune, while "Baby, Pick Up Your Gun" resonates with a more blues and soul vibration. While flexing a genre spanning versatility, Straw still manages to create a cohesive project.
Checkout Gun below, and pick up the album now out via Kai Straw's Tenth Gate Records:
“I wanted to make something that embodies aspiration; the ambition, the vulnerability, the arrogance, the isolation, the hope – the want for a partner that sees the road you see. Ambition can be such a desperate thing; I see a gun in my mind when I think of the word. I wanted to make an album about that. The rattling in your soul when you’re grinding toward what you want from life. Something that felt like – flicking the cylinder into place, pulling back the hammer and saying, “give me all you got.”
-Kai Straw