No Rush: Cautious Clay Slows Down on ‘The Hours’

On ‘The Hours: Morning,’ genre-blending artist Cautious Clay steps away from the deeply personal storytelling of his last album to explore a more reflective, meditative space – one shaped by mindfulness, musical instinct, and a desire to rethink our relationship with time.

Stream: ‘ALBUM’ – Cautious Clay

This album is a response to how rigid and perfectionist time can feel. I wanted to make something that reflects mindfulness and freedom; being fully in the moment.

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It’s 52 degrees and drizzling in New York, and if he weren’t doing press, Cautious Clay would probably be on a basketball court.

Instead, he’s inside, reflecting on The Hours: Morning, the first installment of his new three-part album. Where 2023’s Karpeh dove deep into personal and family history, The Hours floats a little lighter. It’s still introspective, but more meditative – less about unpacking the past and more about being present.

“I wanted to flip the idea of time as something rigid or anxiety-inducing,” he says. “Instead, what if it could be carefree, even joyful?”

The Hours: Morning - Cautious Clay — The Hours: Morning – Cautious Clay

Written over the course of dozens of sessions (more than 60 songs were sketched out), The Hours: Morning lands on just eight tracks that feel emotionally and sonically like the start of a day – full of clarity, curiosity and calm. Tracks like “Smoke Break” were recorded live in-studio, capturing a spontaneous energy that mirrors Clay’s approach to both music and life: Intuitive, grounded and always a little outside the lines.

A classically trained flutist turned genre-blending songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Cautious Clay (born Josh Karpeh) has built a career on defying expectations. Since his 2018 breakout Blood Type, he’s collaborated with John Mayer, co-written with Taylor Swift, scored for film and TV, and carved out a space in modern music that feels entirely his own.

On the heels of The Hours and ahead of a fast-selling fall tour, Cautious Clay caught up with Atwood Magazine to talk about trusting his gut, redefining productivity, and why he’s drawn to the quiet clarity of a jump shot.

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:: stream/purchase The Hours: Morning here ::

:: connect with Cautious Clay here ::

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“No Champagne (6am)” – Cautious Clay

A CONVERSATION WITH CAUTIOUS CLAY

Atwood Magazine: You said this album is more conversational than personal. What kinds of conversations were you having with yourself while making it?

Cautious Clay: That’s a great question. I was really thinking about mindfulness – how to navigate the world in a way where time doesn’t feel stressful. I wanted to flip the idea of time as something rigid or anxiety-inducing and instead approach it as something more joyous, mindful, even carefree.

Calling something “personal” can be funny, because people often assume that if you’re an artist, everything you make must be deeply personal. But the truth is, some songs are more personal than others. For me, it’s about leaving space for the listener to find their own meaning. That’s part of the conversation I always try to consider.

My last album, Karpeh, was deeply personal – it traced my family lineage on both sides and explored how their experiences shaped me. But that doesn’t mean The Hours is any less thoughtful. It just carries a different kind of energy. This album was more about how I interact with time.

I heard you wrote over 60 songs for this project. How did you narrow it down to these eight? And will there be follow-ups, like The Hours: Afternoon or Evening?

Cautious Clay: That’s a very smart inference. Yes, it’s going to be a three-part album. I’m still figuring out the next sets of songs. Right now, I’m going back and listening to older material, making new stuff, and asking, “Does this fit the mood or the time of day I’m trying to express?”

As for these first eight, they just felt the most “morning” to me – sonically and lyrically. Songs like “No Champagne,” for example, have this 6 a.m. energy. I looked at the production, the tone, the subtleties in the lyrics. It’s subjective, but in the end, you have to make a call. It’s almost a spiritual decision, just trusting your gut.

You’ve mentioned spirituality a few times. Did growing up in Ohio – with its gospel and funk roots – play into this album?

Cautious Clay: Definitely. Ohio is actually the birthplace of funk – bands like the Ohio Players, Parliament-Funkadelic, all came out of there. Gospel music also had a big influence on me. You can hear it in some of the choruses on songs like “Traffic” or “Promises.” I’m not religious, but I am spiritual, and I love gospel music for how it makes you feel. Some of those choirs – man, you get chills.

This is the first of a three-part album. When can we expect the other parts?

Cautious Clay: I’m heading out on tour, but the plan is to finish the rest of the songs and the album during and after that. It’s still coming together.

When you look at the different versions of yourself behind each song – or each “hour” – on this album, which one represents who you are right now?

Cautious Clay: That changes a lot, but I’d say “Smoke Break” connects with me most at the moment. We recorded it live – 12 takes with a full band – and the final take is what made the record. I played bass on it, too. That whole process was just really fun and different from how I made the other songs. It stands out for that reason.

Can we talk about Karpeh for a minute? You’ve described it as a radical reinvention. What parts of yourself did you let go of, and how did that experience shape The Hours?

Cautious Clay: With Karpeh, every decision I made was 100 per cent selfish, in a good way. I wasn’t worried about structure or what was expected. I leaned into jazz, avant-garde ideas, and worked with incredible musicians like Julian Lage, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Immanuel Wilkins. It was deeply personal – rooted in my family history, my grandparents. That process really expanded my scope as both a producer and artist. But The Hours was more about songwriting; letting that take the lead while still balancing musicianship and production. It’s a different kind of ambition.

Is there anything you suck at? (laughing) You play so many instruments, it’s hard to imagine.

Cautious Clay: Oh, I’m not great at a lot of things! I think my strength is that I’m fearless. I’ll be in rooms with musicians who are worlds better than me. I get this funny reputation where it’s like, oh, he plays all these instruments and I’m not really particularly great at any of them. I’m like decent at flute. I’m pretty good at flute. I’m OK at saxophone and I’m really pretty dog sh*t at everything else. Like I’ll get you your parts.

I think I’m just fearless. I think I have the capability to create guitar parts for guitar players who are far better than me and know how they should sound. I’m confident in that. But I’m not a particularly great player. And so if we’re being honest, I think my strength is more as a producer and something as an arranger. I’m trying to get better at basketball – that’s my main hobby outside of making music.

How do you stay fearless, especially in an age of nonstop online opinions and criticism?

Cautious Clay: It’s not always easy. I’ve seen negative stuff written about me, sure. But I remind myself: most of the people criticizing probably aren’t putting anything out themselves. Or if they are, that’s their journey. I’ve got mine.

I have a strong sense of self. I know why I’m doing this. I’m an artist, not a content creator. I’ll make content because that’s part of the game now, but I didn’t get into this for viral moments or shock value. I want to connect through music.

That’s actually why I started playing basketball again, it’s pure. Either the ball goes in or it doesn’t. No one’s judging your vibe or your image, it’s just the work. I try to bring that same energy to music.

What do you hope people experience when they listen to The Hours?

Cautious Clay: I hope they feel a sense of lightness and relief. This album is a response to how rigid and perfectionist time can feel. I wanted to make something that reflects mindfulness and freedom; being fully in the moment.