On May 5th, musician and rapper André 3000 made a unique statement at the 2025 Met Gala by wearing a replica of a grand piano on his back. While it might have appeared random, this choice was actually a clever way to promote his EP, titled “7 Piano Sketches,” which he released on the same day. The EP showcased seven solo piano pieces, a stark contrast to his debut album, “New Blue Sun” (2023), which featured flute-based ambient spiritual jazz and his collaborations with the popular hip-hop duo Outkast from the late 1990s.
All of the songs on 7 piano sketches were improvised by André on acoustic piano alone, with the exception of the closing track, “I spend all day waiting for the night,” which includes a drum machine, and the penultimate track, “off rhythm laughter,” which contains several samples of laughter. According to André, the songs were recorded on an iPhone or computer in a house in Texas that he rented approximately a decade ago (except for “Blueberry Mansions,” which was recorded in a studio).
A notable feature of 7 piano sketches is that, at the beginning of each track, André and/or his collaborators Emmy Paalman and Fatima Robinson recite the titles of each of the songs. Much like the songs themselves, some of these titles are unusual and abstract–examples include “and then one day you’ll …” and “when you’re a ant and you wake up in an awesome mood, about to drive your son to school, only to discover that you left the lights on in the car last night so your battery is drained.”
Although all of the pieces on 7 piano sketches feature acoustic piano and most are recorded in a very informal manner, they differ greatly musically. For instance, the opening track, “bluffing in the snow,” is very erratic–just when you think that André’s settled into a groove, he changes Other tracks on 7 piano sketches, such as “blueberry mansions” and “off rhythm laughter,” are less unpredictable and more pattern-based. However, André prominently uses effects in these two tracks to transforms the sound of the piano into something otherworldly.
7 piano sketches can be bought as a digital download from André’s website, and can also be found on several streaming platforms.
