Meet Cautious Clay

As Cautious Clay multi-instrumentalist Joshua Karpeh makes pop jams that will charm the most embarrassing dance moves out of your arms and legs. I am speaking mostly from personal experience. At any rate, if you have a taste for neo-soul and funk this NY-based singer needs to be on your radar. In our latest interview, we chat about their 2020 single ‘Agreeable’, bird calls, and getting grounded.

A Self-portrait by, Cautious Clay

Would You Rather

only be able to communicate with Morse code or dolphin noises?

I would rather communicate through Morse code because dolphin noises would get really annoying after a while

Some questions with Cautious Clay

What was the creative inspiration behind your 2020 single ‘Agreeable’?

I was definitely inspired by how divided and uncompromising I feel right now when it comes to human rights and identity politics.

Are you self taught or did you take lessons / study music?

I’m self-taught on sax and guitar(s), but took flute lessons growing up.

Who did the artwork for your 2020 single ‘Agreeable’? Where did the concept come from?

Lauren Martin designed the buildings on the image. I was inspired by how sweet and subtle the image of the buildings feel coupled with the hard realities that I wanted to express in the song lyrically.

Do you have a party trick?

I can make a few different bird calls with my hands.

Did you ever get grounded growing up? If so why?

I've always felt pretty grounded, to be honest. I have a strong sense of the fact that life is finite and I value so many of the relationships that I have gained along the way so I would say my outlook hasn’t changed much as I’ve gotten older.

Where are you today as a musician since moving to NYC? Has the city changed the way you approach music?

I think the city has opened me up to a lot of different communities in music, and my positive outlook with respect to those communities has only been affirmed by living in the city. I wouldn’t say it’s changed.

What are your hopes for the NYC post COVID-19 music scene?

I hope that we can start playing shows again. How that will look is difficult to say, but I'm optimistic.

What has been your brightest moment in 2020 so far?

Definitely finishing this album... more specifically the artwork, I've pretty much spent the entire year working on it, and now knowing that I’m 95% there is such a great feeling.