Release Premiere: K-Riz - The Room EP

There are very few people I know who are as genuine, humble and sincere as Edmonton’s K-Riz. In 2016, we sat down for an interview to talk Honour Roll, community, love, and the artist’s upcoming debut release, Fresh Air. Since that release, the emerging artist has lived many lives, and experienced many trials and triumphs. In a perfect wrap to 2020, we are blessed with The Room EP, set to release December 18th .

There is a lot to say about The Room, and there is a lot of story that the artist is waiting to tell you. Born out of trial, The Room is one big beautiful serenade of jazzy R&B beats framing K-Riz’s ability to navigate his unique flow. But, because this is a premiere, and not an album review, I don’t want to take up too much time gushing over how great I think this EP is. I will, however, paint you a picture.

The Room opens up with what I can only describe as the feeling of entering a lavish space, taking it all in while the host leads you into the decadence. The EP as a whole is like floating down a velvety river, with a gem of a track right in the middle that momentarily diverts us into this video game fantasy land, laced with intricate rhymes and Atari-style production. If anyone can pull that kind of stunt off, it’s K-Riz.

Not only does The Room showcase the diverse flair of K-Riz, but we also get to enjoy the soulful talent of Yolanda Saergant, discover the emerging Yod Dior, enjoy flawless production by JDats, and remember how much we love a good horn section thanks to Octavio Santos. And this is what K-Riz has been about since day one – since he took that breath of Fresh Air and continued to build community with the Honour Roll Music Collective – bringing unique, strong and talented individuals together to create a room full of love.

Get your first listen to The Room EP here on Cups N’ Cakes Network. You can find The Room EP on all streaming platforms on December 18th , and if you’re looking to purchase The Room EP, don’t forget about Bandcamp Day on the first Friday of every month (which will extend into 2021, Bandcamp announced yesterday), where 100% of the proceeds of your purchase made through the site will go directly to the artist.

If you’re hungry for more, grab your bib (sorry) and buckle up for K-Riz’s next full-length album, Peace & Love, set to release Spring 2021.

- Carly Weiler