GRiZ Takes Us Through ‘Say It Loud,’ His Funkiest Album Yet

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GRiZ Takes Us Through ‘Say It Loud,’ His Funkiest Album Yet

The saxy bass master takes us on a track-by-track breakdown of his latest album.

When Grant Kwiecinski, better known as GRiZ, rolls into the VICE headquarters in Brooklyn on a weekday evening, he looks as excited as a grade school student presenting his parents with his latest art class masterpiece--and it's not just because he's slightly buzzed. Except instead of a watercolor reimagining of the New York City skyline, Kwiecinski has something else in tow—a brand new album called Say It Loud.

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"It's an ode to James Brown," Kwiecinski says of the title. "It's about revisiting the idea of making a funk album that's a public call to action, for people of all ethnicities to make a stand." With a personal artist motto like "Show Love, Spread Love" it's no surprise that Kwiecinski's second full length album (and the first from his newly minted All Good Records label) is geared at such socio-political themes. But in contrast to his peers' attempts to make electronic music in response to current events--Nicholas Jaar's recent soundtrack of a Ferguson-inspired film comes to mind--Say It Loud is a whole lot more fun.

Read more about GRiZ

After commandeering an aux cord and turning the volume so loud it nearly cracked the glass walls of the conference room we are in, the Detroit-bred Kwiecinski begins playing his most musical album to date. Kwiecinski characterizes the 11-track LP as a sticky nug of Durban Poison, a strain of weed revered for its energetic and uplifting effects. "It's that coffee that gets you going," he jokes.

Let's break it down:

"For The Love" is a funk-fueled party is the purest sense of the word, with twangy brass croons and a throwback tanginess reminiscent of one of the artist's hometown's most prized entities—Motown Records. While Kwiecinski stresses his use of more up-and-coming guests artists who he believes "need notoriety," this number also features a high-profile rap icon by the name of Talib Kweli.

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"Get Down" turns its focus to the crunchy, festival-aimed bass community that sparked GRiZ's career, with helping hands from local Boulder outfit Sunsquabi and JMac of Manic Focus. Recorded in Colorado, this one is a true funk opus for the senses, with a sound-sammie of alto and tenor sax lines, leading into a drop that Kwiecinski describes as a "Hawaii 5-0 moment." "Some songs are the album are more traditional, but in true GRiZ fashion, this one goes from A-Z," he says with a smile.

When Grant Kwiecinski, better known as GRiZ, rolls into the VICE headquarters in Brooklyn on a weekday evening, he looks as excited as a grade school student presenting his parents with his latest art class masterpiece--and it's not just because he's slightly buzzed. Except instead of a watercolor reimagining of the New York City skyline, Kwiecinski has something else in tow—a brand new album called Say It Loud.

"It's an ode to James Brown," Kwiecinski says of the title. "It's about revisiting the idea of making a funk album that's a public call to action, for people of all ethnicities to make a stand." With a personal artist motto like "Show Love, Spread Love" it's no surprise that Kwiecinski's second full length album (and the first from his newly minted All Good Records label) is geared at such socio-political themes. But in contrast to his peers' attempts to make electronic music in response to current events--Nicholas Jaar's recent soundtrack of a Ferguson-inspired film comes to mind--Say It Loud is a whole lot more fun.

Read more about GRiZ

After commandeering an aux cord and turning the volume so loud it nearly cracked the glass walls of the conference room we are in, the Detroit-bred Kwiecinski begins playing his most musical album to date. Kwiecinski characterizes the 11-track LP as a sticky nug of Durban Poison, a strain of weed revered for its energetic and uplifting effects. "It's that coffee that gets you going," he jokes.

Let's break it down:

"For The Love" is a funk-fueled party is the purest sense of the word, with twangy brass croons and a throwback tanginess reminiscent of one of the artist's hometown's most prized entities—Motown Records. While Kwiecinski stresses his use of more up-and-coming guests artists who he believes "need notoriety," this number also features a high-profile rap icon by the name of Talib Kweli.

"Get Down" turns its focus to the crunchy, festival-aimed bass community that sparked GRiZ's career, with helping hands from local Boulder outfit Sunsquabi and JMac of Manic Focus. Recorded in Colorado, this one is a true funk opus for the senses, with a sound-sammie of alto and tenor sax lines, leading into a drop that Kwiecinski describes as a "Hawaii 5-0 moment." "Some songs are the album are more traditional, but in true GRiZ fashion, this one goes from A-Z," he says with a smile.

Funk Party" lives up to its name, and was an absolute "I just smelled some stanky cheese" face melter. It is led by an array of cowbells and a near-hardstyle bass drop--or as he put it, "a fuck you in your face moment." Every album needs one of those right? The tune, like many others on the LP, features the artists own distorted vocals.

"It's All Good," while still 100 percent jamming, is a personal homage to Kwiecinski's own label and his posi ethos as a human being. It features Jesse Arlen from Daptone as well as Dallas-based hip-hop dude Jay Fresh, who offers up the hook: "It's all good baby." According to Kwiecinski this one was about the memorable (and often tiresome) process of making the album overall. "Sometimes it doesn't fucking work," he says. "It's about trial and error, and knowing that even when you reach that breaking point, to not ever give up on you're shit." He adds that production wise, this track featured his tactic of taking big-room house down to 100 BPM, for something he hilariously describes as "small roombahton."

"Turnin," which features Orlando Napier on vocals, trades frantic bass energy for a more soulful ballad, one he describes as being about "being in love with somebody, when they can't love you back."

Headspace" is another musical opus recorded at Studio G. With an eerie, Nightmare on Elm Street-esque intro, the track goes from crashing horns, electric piano instrumentals and gentle crescendos into bassy puddles of sound. "Everyone in the studio lost it on this one, we ran it through a tape machine and people had to wear headphones. Everything in the universe, just felt right," he says nostalgically.

Take It High" is a classically New Orleans funk smash featuring Ivan Neville, Andrew Block, and an assortment of other vocalists. There isn't a hint of bass in this one, and it could have easily been an upfront brass jam from the 1970s.

"It's all about making shit that I like, that reflects the way I feel about music," GRiZ says of the album's message overall. "Enjoy it, and if you don't, I don't fucking care."

'Say It Loud' drops March 31 on All Good Records via BitTorrent and mynameisgriz.com

TRACKLIST:
The Anthem ft. Mike Avery
Funk Party
Get Down ft. Sunsquabi and Manic Focus
Need This ft. The Floozies
It's All Good ft. Jessie Arlen
A Fine Way to Die ft. Orlando Napier
For The Love ft. Talib Kweli
Stop Trippin' ft. iDA Hawk
Headspace (Time Is On Our Side)
Turnin' ft. Orlando Napier
Take It High ft. Ivan Neville [BONUS TRACK]

GRiZ is on Facebook // SoundCloud // Twitter

@DLGarber

Funk Party" lives up to its name, and was an absolute "I just smelled some stanky cheese" face melter. It is led by an array of cowbells and a near-hardstyle bass drop--or as he put it, "a fuck you in your face moment." Every album needs one of those right? The tune, like many others on the LP, features the artists own distorted vocals.

"It's All Good," while still 100 percent jamming, is a personal homage to Kwiecinski's own label and his posi ethos as a human being. It features Jesse Arlen from Daptone as well as Dallas-based hip-hop dude Jay Fresh, who offers up the hook: "It's all good baby." According to Kwiecinski this one was about the memorable (and often tiresome) process of making the album overall. "Sometimes it doesn't fucking work," he says. "It's about trial and error, and knowing that even when you reach that breaking point, to not ever give up on you're shit." He adds that production wise, this track featured his tactic of taking big-room house down to 100 BPM, for something he hilariously describes as "small roombahton."

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"Turnin," which features Orlando Napier on vocals, trades frantic bass energy for a more soulful ballad, one he describes as being about "being in love with somebody, when they can't love you back."

When Grant Kwiecinski, better known as GRiZ, rolls into the VICE headquarters in Brooklyn on a weekday evening, he looks as excited as a grade school student presenting his parents with his latest art class masterpiece--and it's not just because he's slightly buzzed. Except instead of a watercolor reimagining of the New York City skyline, Kwiecinski has something else in tow—a brand new album called Say It Loud.

"It's an ode to James Brown," Kwiecinski says of the title. "It's about revisiting the idea of making a funk album that's a public call to action, for people of all ethnicities to make a stand." With a personal artist motto like "Show Love, Spread Love" it's no surprise that Kwiecinski's second full length album (and the first from his newly minted All Good Records label) is geared at such socio-political themes. But in contrast to his peers' attempts to make electronic music in response to current events--Nicholas Jaar's recent soundtrack of a Ferguson-inspired film comes to mind--Say It Loud is a whole lot more fun.

Read more about GRiZ

After commandeering an aux cord and turning the volume so loud it nearly cracked the glass walls of the conference room we are in, the Detroit-bred Kwiecinski begins playing his most musical album to date. Kwiecinski characterizes the 11-track LP as a sticky nug of Durban Poison, a strain of weed revered for its energetic and uplifting effects. "It's that coffee that gets you going," he jokes.

Let's break it down:

"For The Love" is a funk-fueled party is the purest sense of the word, with twangy brass croons and a throwback tanginess reminiscent of one of the artist's hometown's most prized entities—Motown Records. While Kwiecinski stresses his use of more up-and-coming guests artists who he believes "need notoriety," this number also features a high-profile rap icon by the name of Talib Kweli.

"Get Down" turns its focus to the crunchy, festival-aimed bass community that sparked GRiZ's career, with helping hands from local Boulder outfit Sunsquabi and JMac of Manic Focus. Recorded in Colorado, this one is a true funk opus for the senses, with a sound-sammie of alto and tenor sax lines, leading into a drop that Kwiecinski describes as a "Hawaii 5-0 moment." "Some songs are the album are more traditional, but in true GRiZ fashion, this one goes from A-Z," he says with a smile.

Funk Party" lives up to its name, and was an absolute "I just smelled some stanky cheese" face melter. It is led by an array of cowbells and a near-hardstyle bass drop--or as he put it, "a fuck you in your face moment." Every album needs one of those right? The tune, like many others on the LP, features the artists own distorted vocals.

"It's All Good," while still 100 percent jamming, is a personal homage to Kwiecinski's own label and his posi ethos as a human being. It features Jesse Arlen from Daptone as well as Dallas-based hip-hop dude Jay Fresh, who offers up the hook: "It's all good baby." According to Kwiecinski this one was about the memorable (and often tiresome) process of making the album overall. "Sometimes it doesn't fucking work," he says. "It's about trial and error, and knowing that even when you reach that breaking point, to not ever give up on you're shit." He adds that production wise, this track featured his tactic of taking big-room house down to 100 BPM, for something he hilariously describes as "small roombahton."

"Turnin," which features Orlando Napier on vocals, trades frantic bass energy for a more soulful ballad, one he describes as being about "being in love with somebody, when they can't love you back."

Headspace" is another musical opus recorded at Studio G. With an eerie, Nightmare on Elm Street-esque intro, the track goes from crashing horns, electric piano instrumentals and gentle crescendos into bassy puddles of sound. "Everyone in the studio lost it on this one, we ran it through a tape machine and people had to wear headphones. Everything in the universe, just felt right," he says nostalgically.

Take It High" is a classically New Orleans funk smash featuring Ivan Neville, Andrew Block, and an assortment of other vocalists. There isn't a hint of bass in this one, and it could have easily been an upfront brass jam from the 1970s.

"It's all about making shit that I like, that reflects the way I feel about music," GRiZ says of the album's message overall. "Enjoy it, and if you don't, I don't fucking care."

'Say It Loud' drops March 31 on All Good Records via BitTorrent and mynameisgriz.com

TRACKLIST:
The Anthem ft. Mike Avery
Funk Party
Get Down ft. Sunsquabi and Manic Focus
Need This ft. The Floozies
It's All Good ft. Jessie Arlen
A Fine Way to Die ft. Orlando Napier
For The Love ft. Talib Kweli
Stop Trippin' ft. iDA Hawk
Headspace (Time Is On Our Side)
Turnin' ft. Orlando Napier
Take It High ft. Ivan Neville [BONUS TRACK]

GRiZ is on Facebook // SoundCloud // Twitter

@DLGarber

Headspace" is another musical opus recorded at Studio G. With an eerie, Nightmare on Elm Street-esque intro, the track goes from crashing horns, electric piano instrumentals and gentle crescendos into bassy puddles of sound. "Everyone in the studio lost it on this one, we ran it through a tape machine and people had to wear headphones. Everything in the universe, just felt right," he says nostalgically.

When Grant Kwiecinski, better known as GRiZ, rolls into the VICE headquarters in Brooklyn on a weekday evening, he looks as excited as a grade school student presenting his parents with his latest art class masterpiece--and it's not just because he's slightly buzzed. Except instead of a watercolor reimagining of the New York City skyline, Kwiecinski has something else in tow—a brand new album called Say It Loud.

"It's an ode to James Brown," Kwiecinski says of the title. "It's about revisiting the idea of making a funk album that's a public call to action, for people of all ethnicities to make a stand." With a personal artist motto like "Show Love, Spread Love" it's no surprise that Kwiecinski's second full length album (and the first from his newly minted All Good Records label) is geared at such socio-political themes. But in contrast to his peers' attempts to make electronic music in response to current events--Nicholas Jaar's recent soundtrack of a Ferguson-inspired film comes to mind--Say It Loud is a whole lot more fun.

Read more about GRiZ

After commandeering an aux cord and turning the volume so loud it nearly cracked the glass walls of the conference room we are in, the Detroit-bred Kwiecinski begins playing his most musical album to date. Kwiecinski characterizes the 11-track LP as a sticky nug of Durban Poison, a strain of weed revered for its energetic and uplifting effects. "It's that coffee that gets you going," he jokes.

Let's break it down:

"For The Love" is a funk-fueled party is the purest sense of the word, with twangy brass croons and a throwback tanginess reminiscent of one of the artist's hometown's most prized entities—Motown Records. While Kwiecinski stresses his use of more up-and-coming guests artists who he believes "need notoriety," this number also features a high-profile rap icon by the name of Talib Kweli.

"Get Down" turns its focus to the crunchy, festival-aimed bass community that sparked GRiZ's career, with helping hands from local Boulder outfit Sunsquabi and JMac of Manic Focus. Recorded in Colorado, this one is a true funk opus for the senses, with a sound-sammie of alto and tenor sax lines, leading into a drop that Kwiecinski describes as a "Hawaii 5-0 moment." "Some songs are the album are more traditional, but in true GRiZ fashion, this one goes from A-Z," he says with a smile.

Funk Party" lives up to its name, and was an absolute "I just smelled some stanky cheese" face melter. It is led by an array of cowbells and a near-hardstyle bass drop--or as he put it, "a fuck you in your face moment." Every album needs one of those right? The tune, like many others on the LP, features the artists own distorted vocals.

"It's All Good," while still 100 percent jamming, is a personal homage to Kwiecinski's own label and his posi ethos as a human being. It features Jesse Arlen from Daptone as well as Dallas-based hip-hop dude Jay Fresh, who offers up the hook: "It's all good baby." According to Kwiecinski this one was about the memorable (and often tiresome) process of making the album overall. "Sometimes it doesn't fucking work," he says. "It's about trial and error, and knowing that even when you reach that breaking point, to not ever give up on you're shit." He adds that production wise, this track featured his tactic of taking big-room house down to 100 BPM, for something he hilariously describes as "small roombahton."

"Turnin," which features Orlando Napier on vocals, trades frantic bass energy for a more soulful ballad, one he describes as being about "being in love with somebody, when they can't love you back."

Headspace" is another musical opus recorded at Studio G. With an eerie, Nightmare on Elm Street-esque intro, the track goes from crashing horns, electric piano instrumentals and gentle crescendos into bassy puddles of sound. "Everyone in the studio lost it on this one, we ran it through a tape machine and people had to wear headphones. Everything in the universe, just felt right," he says nostalgically.

Take It High" is a classically New Orleans funk smash featuring Ivan Neville, Andrew Block, and an assortment of other vocalists. There isn't a hint of bass in this one, and it could have easily been an upfront brass jam from the 1970s.

"It's all about making shit that I like, that reflects the way I feel about music," GRiZ says of the album's message overall. "Enjoy it, and if you don't, I don't fucking care."

'Say It Loud' drops March 31 on All Good Records via BitTorrent and mynameisgriz.com

TRACKLIST:
The Anthem ft. Mike Avery
Funk Party
Get Down ft. Sunsquabi and Manic Focus
Need This ft. The Floozies
It's All Good ft. Jessie Arlen
A Fine Way to Die ft. Orlando Napier
For The Love ft. Talib Kweli
Stop Trippin' ft. iDA Hawk
Headspace (Time Is On Our Side)
Turnin' ft. Orlando Napier
Take It High ft. Ivan Neville [BONUS TRACK]

GRiZ is on Facebook // SoundCloud // Twitter

@DLGarber

Take It High" is a classically New Orleans funk smash featuring Ivan Neville, Andrew Block, and an assortment of other vocalists. There isn't a hint of bass in this one, and it could have easily been an upfront brass jam from the 1970s.

"It's all about making shit that I like, that reflects the way I feel about music," GRiZ says of the album's message overall. "Enjoy it, and if you don't, I don't fucking care."

'Say It Loud' drops March 31 on All Good Records via BitTorrent and mynameisgriz.com

TRACKLIST:
The Anthem ft. Mike Avery
Funk Party
Get Down ft. Sunsquabi and Manic Focus
Need This ft. The Floozies
It's All Good ft. Jessie Arlen
A Fine Way to Die ft. Orlando Napier
For The Love ft. Talib Kweli
Stop Trippin' ft. iDA Hawk
Headspace (Time Is On Our Side)
Turnin' ft. Orlando Napier
Take It High ft. Ivan Neville [BONUS TRACK]

GRiZ is on Facebook // SoundCloud // Twitter

@DLGarber