Skinny G Radio returns with a long-awaited follow-up album to his 2022 LP release dubbed The Heightening and this new record has a brilliant way of showcasing the artist's particular approach to not only his level of honesty that's given, but also how he gives pieces of himself with every track and a little differently each time.
The Skinny Mini Opus album wastes no time bringing on this brilliantly and outlandishly lush pop atmosphere and as the album unfolds, the songs become interconnective and have strange ways of weaving in and out of each other the way concept albums would which I believe this most certainly is.
I think the songs are like these little chapters that give you elements of his life, inner thought, and some emotional drive as well but it's all brought together with this pop-coated and well-thought-out soundscape.
This is something that you should be listening to as a whole. There are 14 tracks on this album and it spans a great length of time to the point where listening to the whole thing will give you a full-fledged experience rather than just listening to music.
One of the reasons I said this is theatrical is because it feels that way. When you have listened to this album you feel like you just sat down to watch a play and you pick up on the stories that come through and unfold right in front of your eyes or ears I should say.
This is a pop record through and through but it blends in elements of rock, indie-pop, dream pop, and plenty more so this is an example of an album that is put out there with much fewer walls built around it than you may be used to.
This is something I adore about the record because it came through so refreshing and one of the things that I found gave the record such a robust feel is the instrumentation and arrangements. This was like an orchestrated pop record. It is actually orchestral pop as well as everything else and this is because of not just the instrumentation, but the way it's put forth, and layered, and how the songs build these textures atop each other to create something different each time.
Throughout all of this you still have that connective element between the songs and if you listen to the record from beginning to end, you will have the full experience that it's meant to deliver.
Listening to only one or two tracks from this album will not give you the full spectrum of what the album has to offer as a whole.
Yes, there are some songs that would be great singles and our great singles, but the whole album is a different animal and I would suggest you sit down and listen to it in full because then you soak everything in the way it was meant to be.
This is a record with a particular aesthetic to it and with that aesthetic comes character and personality which is true about and different parts of different songs all through the record.
The balance of color and personality, charismatic delivery on the vocals, and undertones of that edginess along with the crossover of something vintage in classic with something refreshing and new, all play a part and how the record has an impact.
Every element of this record was very well thought out as I mentioned earlier. This was something that was released with a lot of attention paid to the details as it was being created however, it's got heart as well and that's what punches through everything.
This was a massive release that incorporated such an eclectic but bright array of instrumentation, orchestration, and theatrical underbelly and it all came together with what feels like a seamless approach.
It's something you have to hear to understand and with its release, we wanted to have a sit down with Skinny G Radio once again to talk about this record and what it means to the artist along with whatever else may be on its way.
Here's what went down.
Buzz Slayers: Welcome back! Let's start with the Skinny Mini Opus album! This record is a cut above! Loads of pop textures all over it! Where did this album come from and what inspired it?
First off, I just wanna say I'm stoked we get to talk again. Buzzslayers is an amazing blog, and I'm thrilled to be featured in it. - There is one album in particular that sparked the momentum for Skinny Mini Opus, and it's 'Paradise Theatre,' by Styx. That album is the perfect blend of a pop / rock / theatrical feel that I was looking for in my new music. I binged that album a lot. Both its musical tone and cover art ended up being big inspirations for Skinny Mini Opus. I wanted to make an album that felt like a theatrical production. I'm sure if you listened to Paradise Theatre and Skinny Mini Opus back-to-back you wouldn't find a ton of similarities, but that's the beauty of inspiration. Paradise Theatre just became a foundational tone I could use to reference, while building something completely new on top of it.
Buzz Slayers: I am hearing some personal tracks, and the record felt connective to me. Was this a cathartic experience for you?
How meaningful was it to complete this record?
Writing music and lyrics is always a cathartic experience for me. Often my lyrics come from simple journalling. I try to write down my thoughts as honestly and earnestly as I can, in the hopes that the final lyrics have a genuine confessional feel to them. That's something I feel is missing in a lot of contemporary pop music. It's very easy to sacrifice the lyrics for the sake of a catchy beat or chorus. But I genuinely believe you can have both a catchy beat and honest lyrics. There is nothing more meaningful to me (in a musical sense) to have lyrics that I believe are a genuine representation of what I'm going through, coupled with an instrumental that matches the tone and emotion of what the lyrics are saying. Every single song on Skinny Mini Opus had to past that test before I considered it a contender for the album.
Buzz Slayers: In terms of production and performance, is everything you?
Yes, it is. Every sound that you hear and every word that is written, is me. - However, I did way more collaboration on this album than any of my others. I've realized as I've gotten older that it's not cool or sexy to give up on everyone and everything for the sake of your own success. I've learned that my sound will never grow if I don't expand my horizons in the places where I need it. That mindset helped me find someone like Justin Brand, who mixed & mastered 12 of the 14 songs on this album. We built an amazing creative relationship over the past year. I couldn't have done it without him. It's those types of relationships that make me excited to create in the future. It's the only way my ideas will grow.
Buzz Slayers: The album has a lot of layers to it! Did it take you long to complete? Are you happy with the final product?
Start to finish, Skinny Mini Opus took a little over two years to make. I couldn't be happier, and more proud of how it came out. I worked with the artistic designer, Krystal Penney on the cover artwork for this album. We had it done pretty early on in the album process. From there, I would listen to every song that I wrote and stare at the cover art. I would ask myself "does this song sound like it would be played in this room?" If the answer was yes, the song became a contender for the album. If the answer was no, it would be scrapped and I would try again. - I think that process lended itself to a more cohesive musical tone that my other albums don't have. I am so proud of this thing. It's my love, my whole heart, Skinny Mini Opus.
Buzz Slayers: Are you doing some live performances and if so, how are you pulling that off?
I'm often performing with a piano at small shows and open mics in the Los Angeles area. It's a great way to test out new songs. In my opinion, if the song works with just a singer and a piano (or guitar), then you've got a winner. I try not to add all the frills and production until I believe that I've got a solid song that can be performed with just a single instrument. I've also done performances where I live loop my songs, trying to build them in real time for a crowd. However my dream is to do these songs with a band. I love the idea of turning these songs into something that can be played by instrumentalists that can hone in on their pop / rock tone. I hope to be doing more of that in the future, however you can always check my instagram or website for possible shows near you.
Buzz Slayers: Who are you listening to the most right now?
I've been binging Twenty One Pilots new album, 'Clancy,' recently. Tyler Joseph is a fantastic songwriter. The New York based band 'Lawrence' has been putting out some amazing stuff recently too. Their live "acoustic-ish" videos on Youtube are beyond well done. I've also gotta admit Chappell Roan is fantastic. Her album is such a breath of fresh air during this age of pop music. For the most part, I tend to stay in a pretty similar listening bubble. I'm always gravitating and returning to the artists who inspired me to get to where I am; Jon Bellion, John Mayer, Billy Joel, Jim Croce, Twenty One Pilots & Parcels.
Buzz Slayers: Can we expect music videos?
This is my first album to have official music videos to go alone with it. Three music videos can be found on my Youtube channel for the songs; 'Whatcha Gonna Do,' 'Drive on a Wednesday,' and 'A.I. Didn't Write This.' I also shot and recorded an extended version of the song 'Thirst Trap,' that can also be found on my Youtube Channel. I waited quite a while to make music videos to my songs. I never wanted to just make one because you're supposed to. I waited until I had solid visual concepts that I thought complimented the record, and this album just so happened to present me with those visual ideas. I'm really proud of how they came out, and genuinely hope to do more.
Buzz Slayers: Are you already working on anything new right now?
I'm always writing and working on new ideas, and to be honest this is my favorite time to do so. With a new album that just came out, "the page is blank" again, so to speak. I never feel more open to ideas and challenging myself than I do when I'm starting over. It's exciting.
Buzz Slayers: What's the next step from here as an artist?
All I know is I have to keep doing things that keep me creatively energized. The thought of making a "Skinny Mini Opus 2" doesn't do anything for me. I have to keep making left turns because it's the only way I feel challenged and excited by what I'm working on. My only goal at this point is to continue exceeding my own expectations of what I think I'm capable of.
Buzz Slayers: Do you create mostly at a home studio?
The vast majority of my previous albums were made in home studios. However, Skinny Mini Opus is a benchmark for me in this regard. This album was made in a professional Los Angeles Music Studio; Sawtooth Music Studios. - Back in the day, when I was making music for theatre kids and rappers in Connecticut basements & dorm rooms, I'd daydream about the day I could make music in a professional studio. I'm just really grateful that I got the opportunity to accomplish that dream with this album.
Buzz Slayers: What would say to someone who is about to listen to this record? What would you say they can expect?
If you're someone who enjoys pop music, but you're also a music & instrumentation lover, this album is for you. In this day and age, pop music as been filtered through the algorithms, forcing artists to do things like shorten intros, and get to the chorus as quickly as possible for the sake of streams. This album is NOT that. This album is has music, for music's sake. It takes its time. It builds an atmosphere. I hope you find a song in it that you can enjoy or connect to. It's incredibly rare to love a whole album start to finish, so it's silly of me to expect that listeners will relate to each and every song. But I do hope that if you give this album a chance, you'll find a song or two in it that you like.
Buzz Slayers: What would you like to say to fans of the music?
The music industry is a tough place to be in these days. It can feel isolating and dehumanizing. Which is why the love and support I receive from people who enjoy my work means more to me than I can fully express in this single answer. I've gotten to where I am by just keeping my head down, and trying every single day to make something I'm proud of. So when I finally have the chance to peak my head up, look around, and see that there are people who like and support my ideas, I can't help but get emotional. If you're one of those people and you happen to be reading this right now, I Love You.
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