WITHOUT CONTEXT - Retextured

Artist reflection:

I still think this is the most important piece of music that I've ever created, after 'Kōkai'. It's the first time I started to take things seriously. It's a revelation - an amalgamation of everything I've learned since 2019. While the final result isn't perfect, I still think it's a really solid piece of music.

'WITHOUT CONTEXT' was meant to showcase what I was capable of as a producer and lyricist. But at the same time, I was also trying to make a project that would cater to what I look for in a music project. Diversity with a cohesive sense of direction. In that respect, I think the mixtape does a great job.

But that eclectic nature and showcase attitude also resulted in 'WITHOUT CONTEXT' being a sort of toolset or reference for future projects. Every piece of music that comes afterwards has an element that originated back in 'WITHOUT CONTEXT'. That's one of the reasons why I make it a tradition to listen to it at least once a year, so I can see what track maybe needs a makeover or what style should be expanded upon.

Again, 'WITHOUT CONTEXT' is definitely rough around the edges. Tracks like 'First Act', 'Freakshow', 'Sandman', and 'Epilogue' definitely have the weakest performances and mixing on the project. But there are still plenty of gems - like 'Lemon Meringue' (a fan favorite), 'Juri', 'Blacklight', 'MTV is Dead', 'Dark Contrast', 'XV! (Revisited)', and 'Fever Dreams for the Sane Ones' - that I still enjoy to this day.