The great Mohamed Ali once boldly proclaimed, “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” Though Ali may be right in many respects, there’s a high likelihood that he never imagined his words would be turned against him by someone using Ali’s own birth name as the ironic basis for a risk averse brand. In the red corner, enter Cautious Clay – a man whose selective title is bold and whose debut 2018 EP Blood Type is bolder.

Regardless of his artistic moniker, you shouldn’t believe this 24 year old rising star from New York. Blood Type may only contain 7 songs released over a \drawn-out 6 months, but the individual pieces that make up the EP are anything but cautious. Clay approaches each song with a tactical ruthlessness, letting his background as a skilled producer lead the way for his experimental multi-instrumentalism and curiously bold vocal style. When asked by Pigeons and Planes how he would describe his own sound, Clay responded with the odd formula “Cody Chestnutt’s ‘Boylife in America‘ + Andre 3000’s The Love Below album = Cautious Clay”.

Sounds like the offbeat ingredients to a fairly innovative recipe if you ask me.

Cautious Clay’s unique electronic/alternative approach to the R&B field quickly garnered the attention of like-minded colleagues worldwide. Led by his 2017 single “Cold War,” Clay caught the eyes of other prominent producers like IAMNOBODI, Nick AM, and Lessismore, all of whom would join forces to remix his debut single on an unexpected Cold War (Remixes) EP . In a quote to Billboard, Clay further advertised that “Blood Type is my magnum opus—what I feel really represents that process, that identity that I developed.” His fledgling identity has years of development remaining, but this young heavyweight’s early record of knockout wins gives the world a reason to monitor his progress for the next time he rings that proverbial bell.

Favorite Tracks: Cold War, Stolen Moments, Joshua Tree, Blood Type