/// Introduction ///

Hello and welcome to my latest creation … ¡ KRL !

This is the digital version of the album … so let me take a minute to explain how this works.

Below, are the digital liner notes … the story behind the creation of ¡ KRL !

Then, throughout this page you’ll see links to other pages … there are 4 other pages that contain a ‘Guided Tour’ of the album … bonus content for the superfan (like you !) … there are videos, stories, pictures, audio downloads and all kinds of other fun stuff that I simply couldn’t share on a CD or LP !

So … please take your time and explore this wonderful sonic world, I made JUST FOR YOU !

/// ¡ KRL ! Digital Liner Notes ///

¡ KRL ! is a project 20 years in the making …

Ever since I started writing music, I had an idea in mind. At first this sonic vision was blurry beyond recognition, but over time it came more and more into focus.

Each song I wrote, each performance I played, and each musician I interacted with helped me form the raw clay that existed only between my ears.

Then in 2016, something BIG happened. I wrote and recorded the composition ‘South Cloud’.

This was for me THE MOMENT that ¡ KRL ! officially took tangible form in this world … but then, just as I set forth on this journey … I was confronted with my biggest challenge … fear.

That’s right, the instant I completed ‘South Cloud’ I was overcome with fear … I thought (had been told by mentors and colleagues) that it was too ‘out there’ … nobody would like it, my career would be over, and I’d die a broke disgrace.

So, as soon as I started, I abandoned it … I made music that I thought others would like, and went back to my simple life as a side-man bassist.

The years went by, but something wasn’t right … I kept having visions, insights, and epiphanies … inspiration kept coming for ¡ KRL ! and I kept putting it off until I no longer could … 

Then in 2020, something EVEN BIGGER happened … THE PANDEMIC !

Overnight, I lost ALL my gigs, suddenly I had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do … so I did the only thing I know how … I wrote.

Confronted with the void that COVID-19 exposed, I could no longer cast aside ¡ KRL ! During this period, I experimented, learned and dreamed. With each day I got closer.

¡ KRL ! eventually became something else in my mind. A version of myself that hadn’t taken its full form yet … I could feel it and I was inspired by it, but it still took another 3 years for me to get all the disparate pieces of the puzzle together.

I was able to do this with the help of a cast of musicians over many separate recording sessions. ¡ KRL ! features over 20 musicians … some of which are my oldest collaborators, some are my newest friends … each bringing their own unique perspective to the project.

The album is broken up into 4 sections … corresponding to the 4 sides of the 2 LPs … the sections (and links to some really cool content) are listed below …

¡ KRL ! has been the greatest undertaking of my life … I was forced to use every bit of experience that I’ve gained over the course of my career so far.

I am extremely grateful to all those who have joined me on this journey … including YOU my dear listener ! I could not have done it without you : )

So, enjoy the adventure as I go and start the next one !

Remember always … music IS a journey …
Nicholas Krolak (KRL)

Personel 

Guitar - Mike Lorenz, Sean Markey, Dave D’arville, Isaac Felix

Drums - Matt Scarano, Mikey Mester, Gusten Rudolph, Matt Jernigan, Noah Avary

Keys - Anthony Aldissi, Tim Brey, Nicholas Krolak

Sax - Nora Free, Jon Katz, Sean Bailey, Chris Oatts, Johan Tavarez

Trumpet - Elliot Bild

Voice - Marisol Llaudes, V Shayne Frederick

Bass - Nicholas Krolak

Engineers - Michael Cumming, Sean Bailey, Noah Avary, Nicholas Krolak