Cautious Clay

Cautious Clay is the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Joshua Karpeh, whose music is mostly a combination of R&B with a light touch and soft-edged pop that regularly drifts in and out of jazzy tones and syncopated beats. His songs are well-crafted, calm, and pensive pieces ranging around the low to mid-tempo levels, which he delivers with his clear and relaxed vocals. He has a nice singing voice that typically lays low, making use of a little R&B falsetto occasionally, though still handled in a low-key manner. His 2023 album Karpeh, which was released under the legendary Blue Note label, finds Clay more heavily invested in jazz, while maintaining his unassuming, natural approach and introspective lyrics with philosophical themes.