BY AMY SCHWARTZ AND ALLIE RUSSELL
PHOTO CREDIT: AMY SCHWARTZ
K.XXIV, also known as KX, started his musical career in the confines of his bedroom closet, transforming it into a sanctuary of self-expression. His most recent release, and 9th album, DRAGON SCALE TEA, marks a new level of growth in his musical career as a raw piece of self-reflection that is more honest and unfiltered than anything he’s released before. “Compared to all my other projects,” he says, “it’s like the cooler older brother. It’s the youngest project I have but it’s the most mature.”
While DRAGON SCALE TEA is self-described as his most mature album, KX has had great success with his earlier releases. During the height of the pandemic, KX was constantly creating, having released four different projects in rapid succession. He spent hours each day locked in his room, producing songs with little regard for the fine details of mixing and mastering. “With ‘RISK!’ and ‘Howitzer Horizons’, my bigger songs that are older,” he says, “those are unmixed, those are unmastered, those are not studio grade, anything. But I was lucky enough and fortunate enough to have those hit the algorithm.” But DRAGON SCALE TEA marked a significant shift. “I really wanted this to sound impressive,” he said, expressing his desire to create something he could proudly present to his musical inspirations. This pursuit of quality led him to collaborate with Johnny Bear, who co-mixed and mastered the album. For KX, DRAGON SCALE TEA not only encapsulates his experiences over the last three years but also represents a new level of artistic accomplishment. Each of his albums serve as a personal journal, reflecting on where he was in life when he created them, but DRAGON SCALE TEA stands out as his most cohesive body of work to date.
When discussing fan reception, KX admitted he was nervous about releasing the album. After a two-year hiatus, returning to the music scene felt daunting. However, the response he got was overwhelmingly positive. While not every track on the album became a viral hit, songs like “Arlong Park” gained traction, and fans expressed deep appreciation for the project as a whole. On top of the album’s original 15 tracks, there are six additional songs soon to be released on the upcoming deluxe version. These songs are an extension of discussion on the past three years, a time period he claims was the most “insanely transitional” period of his life. ”With DRAGON SCALE TEA I was learning as I was making it. I was learning how to mix, I was learning what worked and what didn’t, I was learning what presets to put on my vocals. But the six songs on the deluxe are just pure confidence.”
While this album marks obvious growth since the start of his career, his reasoning for creating his music still remains the same. Since the beginning KX has passionately discussed mental health and has made music so he could serve as a voice for those who don’t feel like they are in a position to speak up. ”Our world and the people we’re around can sometimes make it feel intimidating to be ourselves, to be emotional, to be unapologetically real. And I think that can be really upsetting for me to see.” KX has made a point of preaching the importance of mental health awareness, always taking a moment to ensure that fans, and anyone listening, knows they aren’t alone and never will be. ”It’s finding the right people to feel comfort and to confide in, whether that’s with music, another human, a movie, a book, just embrace your pain and realize that you can keep moving forward. […] I believe in you and you need to believe in you too.”
In the end, DRAGON SCALE TEA is more than just an album for KX—it’s a love letter to himself and to others who might be navigating similar experiences. The title itself showcases just as much meaning as the music it represents; the word DRAGON stands as a symbol of freedom, “It’s about the aspiration to feel free mentally. No longer feeling trapped inside your head,” SCALE is in reference to protection, “it’s an ode to protecting myself but also protecting other people,” TEA is a sign to calm down and take time for yourself, “it’s a reminder to slow down and assess. To appreciate the moment for what it is, that I’m alive and breathing, that I can see and talk.” The three come together to represent the album as a whole and what it means as a complete project. It’s an album that captures the essence of a transitional period in his life, packed with personal growth, artistic maturity, and the confidence that comes with knowing he’s created something truly special.
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