Singer/songwriter/pianist Kramer (from the Grammy-winning Tensei and Herma Puma)  follows up his 4-track release Sitting Alone Suite with a brand new project entitled Something Different = Algorithmic Bias. The Chi-town-born artist is almost 3 decades deep in the music industry and his experience living in Japan for years adds a different dimension to his musical style.

The lead track “Tranquil Skies” opens up with a surreal and atmospheric soundscape. From the dreamy strings, and sublime pads with choppy drum grooves, Kramer implores us to “put your magnifying glass on your intuition /don’t live in fear and be afraid to go outside and get some fresh air and go all the way alive” as he sings with a shaky melodic voice. The record centers on breaking away from the restrictive way of life in these modern times and the positive effects of seizing the day in the true meaning of the word. “Kibishii Original” is a bouncy hip-hop/jazz jam that showcases Kramer rapping in Japanese and English and he flows effortlessly over the choppy backdrop. Once again, he drops some gems about cutting down the screen time and basking in the refreshing splendour life gives us. The following cut “Alignment” is a rousing pop-rock interlude that starts with a pulsating bass-driven groove, and lush guitar riffs peppered by reverberating vocals. It serves as a bridge to “I Knew” and here Kramer reminds us to find our centre by logging off and tapping into nature. “I Knew” brings Kramer and his group Tensei for a genre-bending dark love ballad about fleeting emotions and sadness that come with blossoming love which is not fully defined.

“Its All About Tomorrow (Freestyle)”  teams up with  Joe Tyse and together they deliver an uplifting and motivational tune that is much needed in these dark times. Over the plucky and soulful backdrop, he reflects on the state of the modern world trapped in the abyss of negativity and trappings of social media. With a sad tone, he pontificates as follows “Too many things going the wrong way/Too many ways to get discouraged/Too many things that look bad/Too many things that make me sad” and ends it with a hopeful wish for a better tomorrow. “Sick Father” is a solemn indi-rock emo tune that centers on childhood, fatherhood and the interconnection between the two. He takes a trip to the past to come to terms with his present and shows audiences why one must always remember where one came from. “Home” is a collaboration with Sam Thousand and Tensei who bring bright and uplifting vibes to the forefront. The nostalgia-inducing track focuses on the concept of home from his perspective and how the various experiences growing up shaped his life. This is followed by the solemn “Sitting Alone”, a heartfelt and melancholic tune that talks about global strife and the never-ending struggles mankind faces ranging from warfare, death and despair. He also looks at how social media perpetrates and magnifies the negative news beyond what we could imagine. In “Tunnel Vision” Kramer tones it down with a playful and reflective tune about expanding one’s purview and getting rid of social restrictions.  Lines like

“vendetta, Christmas sweater, healing never better/Tunnel visions, decisions are a given/ the bigger picture’s hidden/“ set the tone perfectly.

The project closes out with 3 interesting tracks; the experimental “Free”, a Japanese-only version of “Kibishii All Japanese” and the instrumental track “Sitting Alone in Carmel”. Again, each track cements Kramer’s versatility as a producer as he weaves a wide range of sounds and genres seamlessly. Ultimately Something Different = Algorithmic Bias is a profound and conceptual project that touches on the delicate topic of over-dependence on technology and how it affects us psychologically. It’s not preachy but rather playful, insightful and more importantly, motivating.

Stream on all DSPs here.

Find out more about Kramer below.

Check out some of his works here.

Kramer was also in the Chicago-based duo Tensei (meaning “Heaven Star” in Japanese) with Midas Wells.

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