Today, multi-instrumental artist, producer, and philanthropist GRiZ shares his new Ouroboros EP, which serves as his final release ahead of his upcoming hiatus. Alongside the release comes a full length video, offering an emotive snapshot into GRiZ’s life on the road throughout Summer 2023 as he concluded the final leg of festival appearances and tour dates.
After seven albums, countless collaborations, and over a decade of non-stop touring, GRiZ’s upcoming hiatus sees the beloved electronic artist taking a step back while continuing to be a role model for positivity and mental wellbeing. Throughout his career, GRiZ’s optimistic outlook and passion for advocacy and philanthropy has consistently set him apart: from his harm prevention and drug safety program, The Harmony Project, in partnership with DanceSafe to his annual 12 Days of GRiZMAS charity program, which raised over $200,000 in 2022 alone. Now the artist is turning that energy inwards.
“Life is really good and I often make myself too busy to see where I am or how far this project has come,” GRiZ wrote in an Instagram post in June. “I’m following my gut instincts so for now, I’m not going to put a hard time limit on the break.”
A testament to the bright, funkadelic soundscapes that have made GRiZ one of electronic music’s most celebrated and inspiring artists, Ouroboros is a treasure trove of blissful cuts and rose-colored beats. Rounding through 20-minutes of warm spoken word samples and whimsically heady production, Ouroboros is an eight-track collection of GRiZ’s groovy rhythms, uplifting melodies, and iconic saxophone solos.
The EP opens with an endearing farewell from GRiZ himself on “t a k e o v e r” before diving into the anthemic wubs and dubs of “Drop In” and hypnotic riffs of “In This World”. Through the bass-heavy movements of “Falling Flying” to ProbCause’s attention-grabbing vocals on “Knucklepuck”, Ouroboros is momentous and spirited as it closes with the ever-hopeful “Better From Here”. Ouroboros is a captivating sendoff that encapsulates the beautiful, futuristic and funk-forward sound that GRiZ has pioneered throughout his career.
Amidst his upcoming hiatus, GRiZ has remained true to his fans-first ethos. Leading into his Ouroboros EP, GRiZ gifted fans with ID Bible (1), a bundle of free edits, remixes, and live flips. Most recently, GRiZ hosted his boutique camping event Ursa Major, which served as a momentous occasion for the GRiZ community, recognizing the truly joyous spirit GRiZ has inspired on dancefloors over the last decade.
As part of his official sendoff, GRiZ celebrated with a triple header in Denver that saw him perform a “Free Show For The People” at Levitt Pavilion and “In The Round” set at the Fillmore Auditorium before headlining the iconic Mission Ballroom.
Though marking the end of an era, Ouroboros is a celebration of GRiZ’s long lasting impact on the electronic music community, and the start of a new chapter for Grant Kwiecinski.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a9-Z9gqa-E?wmode=opaque]
