Stories that matter

Steven A. Clark Earns Stripes At CMJ 2011

Gallery by Brandon McFarland on October 21, 2011

Photo/Story: Seher Sikandar

Miami based singer-songwriter and producer Steven A. Clark dropped his Stripes EP earlier this year and has created a notable buzz among a handful of music tastemakers. Still fresh on the scene, and unknown to many, here’s a real CMJ find that folks might want to pump the brakes for.

Some compare his work to the avant-garde stylings of peers Frank Ocean and The Weeknd. Clark’s song “Slow It Down” carries a sparse, echoey, underwater sound similar to that of The Weeknd, while “Superhero” sounds like a Frank Ocean track. While the former comparisons have been previously noted, there is also a strong N.E.R.D. influence a la Pharrell Williams on some of the vocals.

Similar to Pharrell, Clark is more artist than vocalist. Adept at blending sounds, he’s created some uniquely palatable music with a brand of R&B that caters to both indie and pop crowds.

During his show last night at the Hiro Ballroom, the Fayetteville native proudly claimed his hometown, citing J. Cole as his fellow North Carolina brethren. He went on to pay respects to rappers and shared his admiration for the art form. The breadth of Clark’s influences expands on Neptunes-esque tracks like “International Man” and “Love Effortlessly,” with the former featuring apparent sprinklings of Kanye West in Clark’s cadence and flow.

For all the great mashing of artistic influences, Steven is unequivocally bringing a helping of his own flavor, with his breezy sing-song (he does live in Miami after all) — and even ambient rock flair — to his delivery. At the end of the day, Steven A. Clark’s music is not quite this or that – it’s just new.

Yesterday felt somewhat like a secret society at the Hiro Ballroom; preceding acts droned on as the audience excitedly whispered in anticipation of Steven’s performance – many had come especially to see him. What transpired was intimate and familial, as if in someone’s living room, the music creating a collective hypnosis. The evening promised that Steven’s secret won’t be kept for long.”