Joshua Crumbly Shares Dynamic Debut Single "New Rock Thingy"

Joshua Crumbly is introducing his debut solo album Rise with his first ever single, “New Rock Thingy.” The exceptional bassist, who made his professional debut at age 10 alongside his father, saxophonist Ronnie Crumbly, draws inspiration from artists of different genres he’s recorded and toured with over the years, including Kamasi Washington, Leon Bridges, Ravi Coltrane, Lizz Wright and Anthony Wilson.

“For me, “New Rock Thingy” is the epitome of one of the concepts I had behind the album, which was to put the songs together in a different way than I had experienced before. My thinking was, if the songs’ construction could offer a different journey for myself and the musicians, that maybe that could also translate to a unique experience for the listener,” he told HYPEBEAST.

He continues, “The word “Thingy” is obviously sort of hilarious, but in the context of this album, it takes me to instances where I’ve shown people the album and they’ve had a hard time describing what genre, etc. it is. Even myself — when someone asks me, “What’s the album like?” I say, “It’s a Rock, Jazz, Electronic, Worldly, Folksy, kinda thingy.” I love that it’s difficult for myself and others to sort of put it in a box, but I do believe the album has a little something for everyone.”

The 28-year-old virtuoso aims to narrate stories without the use of words and create music that people can relate to in their own way. “My story or what the song means to me is just the starting point. The intent of it meaning something to me (even with the absence of words) hopefully is felt and hoping it invites reflections in each and everyone’s own way upon hearing the music,” Crumbly said. “While Rise is an album of  songs some of which were inspired by times of adversity and losses in life, “New Rock Thingy” sort of sums up the entire album — in that it may be a sound that’s inexplicable, but also hopefully portrays the lightheartedness of me a person. At the end of the day, I just hope the album can meet you wherever you are and that it’s just a cool listen for anyone that checks it out!”

Stream Joshua Crumbly’s “New Rock Thingy” on YouTube above. Rise drops May 15 via Open Book Records with a record release show at the Bluewhale in Los Angeles on June 6.