There's a lot to bounce around to on Infinity & Beyond, but listeners shouldn't let the vintage groove and dance-floor ready tempo on songs like "Don't Catch Feelings" and "Honey Dip" fool them thinking that the new release from Joshua Cruz is a happy one. Just listen to "Losing You" where the 26-year-old songwriter locks into a hypnotizing wash of bass and synth before throwing all of the weight from a relationship gone bad onto his shoulders. There's a hurt there, and it's almost palpable.
"I hurt myself. I had a beautiful relationship with an incredible person and through lack of communication, my pride, ego and selfishness I let it fall apart," Cruz told CL. "This project pretty much navigates the end of that relationship, my decisions, faults, sadness and even hope."
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Infinity & Beyond — set for release on April 27 — is also another reason to feel hopeful about another Tampa Bay songwriter breaking out of the area and onto the national scene. Cruz has written for artists he can't mention on record and even tapped a few local favorites to lend their own talents to the EP. Both Demi Nova and Dynasty (two artists who've recently bolted for other opportunities in new markets) show up along with Queen of Ex, who is one of the most powerful voices in Tampa hip-hop.
"Queen of Ex has been someone I have been wanting to work with for a while, she’s amazing and was my first choice for the track 'I’m Not the One,'" he said. "She’s so in tune with music we had to change the instrumental a few times till it was great enough for her, she’s a visionary."
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Cruz is a prolific, formidable talent, too. Infinity is his second album of the last year, and his 2017 effort Black Is Classier landed on CL's list of best local albums on the strength of its pop-perfect hooks and melodies. He's already working on several new projects including a collaborative EP with producer Shorne Callahan (aka 2SC).
"I've begun the pre-production phase of a joint album with the rapper Dabron Kain, an R&B singer named Juliana Marie and a kid wonder producer named Brandon Kai. It's called The Lost Ones," Cruz said. Not bad for a kid who says he had no formal training before embarking on his songwriting journey.
"It’s been more so a lot of studying incredible songwriters, artists, producers and hit records. There’s a legitimate science to writing a great pop tune and 90-percent of hit records all follow this formula," Cruz — who is influenced by Michael Jackson, Queen, Kanye West and Prince — explained.
"It’s funny, I am not able to always effectively communicate how I feel to another person but on a record, it comes with ease. All these songs were written in 30 minutes or less due to me being able to channel raw emotion so easily to the music."
Listen to that music before its formal release by having a look at the stream and Q&A below. Florida artists or artists on Floridan labels can submit music for premiere consideration here.
Look for the EP on iTunes and Spotify starting April 27.
Who hurt you, man?
I hurt myself. I had a beautiful relationship with an incredible person and through lack of communication, pride/ego and selfishness I let it fall apart. This project pretty much navigates the end of that relationship, my decisions, faults, sadness and even hope.
You're able to put together we'll crafted pop songs at an incredible pace. Where's that foundation or training come from?
I honestly have zero training it’s been more so a lot of studying incredible songwriters, artists, producers and hit records. There’s like a legitimate science to writing a great pop tune and 90-percent of hit records all follow this formula. It’s funny, I am not able to always effectively communicate how I feel to another person but on a record, it comes with ease. All these songs were written in 30 minutes or less due to me being able to channel raw emotion so easily to the music.
Is there another album already in the works? Any tours supporting this one?
I am always writing new music! There is a new collaborative EP set to come out this summer in the works with a producer named 2SC. I have also begun the pre-production phase of a joint album with the rapper DaBron Kain, an R&B singer named Juliana Marie and a kid wonder producer named Brandon Kai. It's called The Lost Ones, I am super excited for it! I will be having shows to support this project with my band hopefully very soon and throughout the summer.
You also write songs for other artists? How do you personally know the difference between one for you and one that could be another artist's?
Sometimes I write with another person in mind stylistically other times I just know another artist or gender would sound better performing the song. It also depends on the subject matter, I have written trap songs I know I will never use (laughs). Its all about the song/music in the end. As an artist your only question should be how can I make the best possible song/experience for myself and the audience.
Demi Nova is one the record, and you have two of Tampa's best emcees on here contributing very different styles to two very different songs. Did you have to write with Queen of Ex and DY in mind or did they just hop in and do what they do?
I wrote "Searching For Love" with Dynasty in mind, I wanted to hear her showcase a side many people do not often hear, hurting DY. She caught my vision and wrote her verse in minutes, I was blown away. Queen of Ex has been someone I have been wanting to work with for a while, she’s amazing and was my first choice for the track “I’m Not the One.” She’s so in tune with music we had to change the instrumental a few times till it was great enough for her, she’s such a visionary. With Demi Nova I knew I had to come correct. I had this bouncy R&B song I thought she would kill for a verse, instead she practically wrote the entire song. It was humbling and inspiring at the same time.
Some of this EP reminds me of albums from my childhood, you're much younger than I am, so which artists or sounds influenced you on this record?
I was very inspired by music of the late 80s and 90s, specifically R&B. I wanted to make a project with a bounce to it as I truly enjoy groove-laced music I am always inspired by Michael Jackson, so his fingerprints are all over it, but Prince, Kanye West and Queen were also large influences this time around. We made sure the feel of instrumentals matched the subject matter of each song resulting in a darker soundscape this time around. Water is also a very common sound throughout the project. The producer Justin Colen and I believe water to be just like love, its necessary to sustain life but if you aren’t careful it can kill you.
This article appears in May 3-10, 2018.
