Original Is the Album For The Ages

Bridgeport, CT — Tuesday, April 30th, 2019 — Khaleel Mandel produced his debut album ‘Original‘ entirely by himself. The reason being, him hearing exactly how this body of work needed to sound top to bottom before he even began production. A formula Khaleel doesn’t see himself staying away from anytime soon.

 On October 12th, 2018, Khaleel released his debut self-produced album Original independently. The album is an intricate combination of genres such as Hip Hop, R&B, Pop, Reggae, Funk, Indie Rock & Avant Garde. There’s versatility from the hard-hitting rap centered title track, to the orchestral ballad containing Harpsichord, Acoustic Guitar & Strings, ’Snow On a Monday’. The album is definitely as Khaleel puts it, a “storm” of his thoughts for two years. 

 September 2016, around a month after Khaleel’s debut mixtape Dead Weight released was when he started working on Original. Work on the new album took place in Connecticut, Massachusetts & Barbados. The album’s sole feature is Khaleel’s cousin and fellow member of the DoubleCrown roster Keion Jevon. Khaleel states  “The rollercoaster challenge was executing the vision to a tee. Me being the only producer on the album made it simpler to work from a ‘no room for error’ ethic. 

J Dilla’s Donuts, the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership, Q-Tip, Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods, Talking Heads & EWF were among some predecessors Khaleel listened to during Original’s creative process. “The biggest goal for this LP was to make something that hasn’t been made yet. A reason behind the title ‘Original’ is it is one of its own body of work made by one person. I hope people will recognize at their own pace.” 

In 2005 Khaleel booked the role of Young Simba in the show’s West Coast Tour company. Khaleel won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical from San Diego’s annual National Youth Theater Awards. Making him the only actor who played Young Simba to win anything for the role. This standard Khaleel has vehemently attempted at withholding by executing a fresh soundscape on Original.

While its Spotify link is below, you can also listen to Original on all streaming platforms today.

 

 

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ABOUT

Khaleel Mandel, rapper/producer/singer-songwriter/composer/multi-instrumentalist was born in Boston Massachusetts and raised in Bridgeport, CT. He is also the co-owner of his company DoubleCrown Inc along with Vaughn Davis.

CONTACT

Khaleel Mandel

This article first appeared on ArtistPR.com Press Release