Derek Simpson Rises Up with KiNG SUN LP (8/15/19)
Derek Simpson presents their debut full-length album, KiNG SUN, available August 15 on Cassette and Digital Formats via Trailing Twelve Records.
KiNG SUN from Long-Beach experimental hip-hop and alt-pop artist Derek Simpson is a menagerie of genre-bending philosophical investigations that are both esoteric and approachable.
After gaining success with multiple free album releases on Soundcloud (under the pseudonym Planetarian) from 2013 to 2016, Simpson moved from Boston to Long Beach to continue recording his own music and surround himself with other up-and-coming artists in need of songwriting help and production. Layering spacey guitar chords and electric piano lines with dense and introspective wordplay, Simpson’s music often explores the value of holding a positive perspective in the face of confusion or adversity. His respect for focus and hard work shows in his recordings, all of which are fully written, produced, composed, and mixed by himself.
Derek Simpson’s creativity goes beyond the music - he films and directs all of his own music videos and even designed his own font for the KiNG SUN project. Simpson illustrated individual tarot cards to represent the deeper meaning of each track from the album.
Written and recorded by Simpson over the course of three years, KiNG SUN is the first cohesive body of work released outside of the Planetarian moniker.
“KiNG SUN was recorded in four separate bedrooms across the United States. I’ve worked consciously on the project since 2016, though some instrumental ideas on the album stem back to 2014. I’d really love for it to speak for itself so I won’t give too much of the story away. Listen all the way through. Peace - D”
There is a certain tenderness and rawness to the music of Derek Simpson. Simpson’s music is close to being a lot of different things, but at the end of the day falls into an arena that's strictly his own and exists in his own world.
KiNG SUN is out August 15th via Trailing Twelve Records.
Order the limited edition tarot box cassette here.
Written and Recorded by Derek Simpson, Trailing Twelve (BMI)
Performed By Derek Simpson, Trailing Twelve (BMI)
Artwork By Joshua Tarantino
Press Photos by Nyiko Beguin and Niles Gregory
Press Contact: trailingtwelve@gmail.com
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DEREK SIMPSON - KiNG SUN
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Releases 15 August 2019
Length: 35:23
