Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jarod Flores, A.K.A. Ayn Soph has been making music for over eighteen years, constantly evolving and refining his sound into a lavish tapestry of indie rock brilliance. Reborn recently as Ayn Soph, a new musical vision of his own creation, Flores has once again begun to reinvigorate his sound.
Raised on a diverse amalgamation of genres, Flores’ influences range from his Father’s love of classic funk and 70’s rock to his Brother’s passion for the Bay Area hip-hop scene, two very distinct styles that paved the way for his own musical discoveries. Now a product of the local Bay Area sound, Flores has become an artist of unique vision and unrivalled creative scope.
His latest release, and the first single from his upcoming debut album, is an epic new rendition of Donny McCaslin’s ‘Club Kidd’, a fiery track taken from McCaslin’s new album ‘Blow’. While the original song is bombastic blend of indie rock and contemporary jazz, Ayn’s take on the release elevates it to another level, infusing it with dense layers of sound and a wonderfully distinct emphasis on the natural melody that lies within it.
Ayn’s rendition is focused, but lavishly built, capturing and respecting the original essence of McCaslin’s song while also fearlessly making it his own. The instrumentals are bolder, overlapping the vocals and carrying the sound further, reshaping the original emphases in the song to create a fresh, but wonderfully familiar sound.
The brilliant thing about Ayn’s version is that it doesn’t automatically feel like a cover version. Just as Jeff Buckley was able to make Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ his own, Ayn has been able to completely take over the song, rivalling, if not surpassing the original.
Score: 8/10
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