Today, Toronto three-piece Keys N Krates shares a new project. A Beat Tape For Your Friends arrives just in time for summer. The release brims with grandiosity and vulnerability, at times brightly orchestral and other times jagged and raw. A breezy collection of beats seamlessly made to soundtrack the warm weather. Whereas last year’s debut full-length, Cura, found them navigating the intersection between hip-hop and dance, this release channels back to their hip-hop roots. A glorious return to form both infectious and triumphant.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the project the band says:
“The project is all instrumental and pays homage to the beat tapes we love like Jay Dilla’s “Donuts” which has helped shape how we approach music in general. This is our take on that idea, made from our perspective. It’s a good-vibe playlist you can put on with your friends to enjoy the summer and get outdoors after a long winter.”
The release arrives ahead of Keys N Krates playing a string of festival dates around the United States and Canada this summer, including Denver’s Global Dance Festival and Nashville’s Deep Tropics. All tickets are available here.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
7/13 – Calgary, CA @ Calgary Stampede
7/19 – Denver, CO @ Global Dance Festival
8/9-8/11 – Palm Springs, CA @ Splash House*
8/23 – Austin, TX @ Summit Rooftop*
8/24 – Nashville, TN @ Deep Tropics
8/31 – Las Vegas, NV @ Downtown Las Vegas Events Centre*
9/6 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere Rooftop*
9/7 – Los Angeles, CA @ Los Angeles State Historic Park
9/13 – Houston, TX @ Cle Nightclub*
9/14 – TBA
9/18 – Whistler, BC @ Buffalo Bills*
9/20 – Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club*
9/21 – San Diego, CA @ Spin*
9/28 – Honolulu, HI @ The Republik*
10/18 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks
* = DJ set