In the music of John Carroll Kirby, the beat isn't usually the star of the show. His indefatigably funky instrumentals are typically a showcase for the sound of the pianist, producer and composer's dazzling keyboard chops, a talent that's seen him become one of the most sought-after collaborators in modern music: he's worked with Harry Styles, Steve Lacy, Frank Ocean and Miley Cyrus, to name a few.
Stumbling upon this live recording of Kirby's new single Oropendola, though, it's the drum machine that initially caught our eye. What exactly is that strange, bulky contraption? The sound was a little baffling, too: fuzzy and distorted but seemingly unprocessed, it didn't sound much like the raw tones of any modern drum machine.
