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Photo: Mitchell Zaic

As the summer season officially begins, many artists who treated the past year as crunch time are inching closer to reaping the rewards of their hard work. Few artists, however, have kept their nose to the grindstone like Johan Lenox, who returns with his latest project,  chamber johan. In anticipation of his debut album, set to release this October, the Massachusetts singer provides fans with six stripped-back versions of previous tracks with his signature classical twist. With a wide range of guests, ranging from Kota The Friend to Cousin Stizz, Lenox spares no expense on his latest release.  

On chamber johan fans are treated to minimalistic and acoustic renditions of six of Lenox's most prominent tracks. If you're a stranger to classical chamber music, congratulations, so am I, but you don't need to be an expert on counterpoint or dissonant passing tones in order to enjoy Lenox's latest arrangements.  

Returning to tracks like "no one wants to dance anymore" or Lenox's last single, "phases," in a chamber context provides them with a refreshing air of originality and ingenuity. Songs like the latter actually released with accompanying visuals, where scenes of Lenox in a spacious mansion surrounded by classical musicians work to amplify the already desolate and introspective feel of "phases." In a way, chamber johan almost feels like a victory lap, a celebratory job well done as the artist transitions into a new era of creativity.

Though barely six months into 2021, chamber johan is just one of many projects that Lenox has been working on as of late. From the lofty string layers on "cancel the party" with Landon Cube to the subtle plucks on "everybody's cool but me," chamber johan is the perfect project for both new and old fans of the Massachusetts multi-hyphenate. With a wide range of content prepared to roll out this year and a catalog that is just itching for live performance, 2021 is definitely shaping up to be a promising year for Lenox.  

Listen to chamber johan below: