Boots, otherwise known as the mysterious Beyoncé producer, does not want to be otherwise known as the mysterious Beyoncé producer — Boots just wants to be Boots. At a recent listening party for his just-dropped mixtape, WinterSpringSummerFall, the press-averse performer (real name: Jordy Asher) said he decided to strike while the iron was hot and release new music before he could be pigeonholed.
The so-called mixtape — he said he conceived it as a full-fledged album — has some of the icy minimalism that decorated Beyoncé’s surprise visual album, but the songs, many of which have been on SoundCloud for months already, showcase a variety of new sounds. There are vintage horns (“Alright”), droning synths (“Lookin’ Muthaf***a”) and ghostly guitars (“Atom”); a former member of the band Blonds, Boots says he isn’t interested in keeping indie rock and rap apart. The album’s guest list may be star-studded — Jeremih, Kelela and Beyoncé all drop in — but Boots makes sure he’s still the star of the show. Take a listen up top.
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Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com