Listen to Caleb Willitz’s “Fresh” New Single [Premiere]

As a person and as an artist, Caleb Willitz can’t help but exemplify the special influence that his hometown has had on him. You’ll discover that on his new music video for “Fresh,” the first sampling of new music off of his upcoming SH I P 730 EP. The mellow, savoury sounds of the new single are accompanied by a video blending performance shots of Willitz and his musical cohorts, with beautiful shots of Chicago’s grandiose downtown landscape.

What helps keep the talented singer-songwriter close to his roots is his well-respected place within the city’s most treasured artists. As a musician and a producer, Willitz has worked with dozens of Chicago area artists, along with many from around the world. Working out of his impressive FAB 825 recording studio in the historic Fine Arts Building located in the Chicago Loop, Willitz stays close to his inspiration, ensuring that he remains fully immersed in his surroundings.

With a few words on the new song, Willitz says:

“The lead single ‘Fresh’ serves as the introduction to a concept EP written during the quarantine in 2020. The music is simple, and the lyrics straightforward, something that is painfully obvious and relatable to us at this point. Do your mental homework, and maybe you will be able to keep your mind fresh, if you are lucky.”

As he has honed his craft over the last several years, Willitz has become quite skilled at straddling several different genres. As an artist, he brings the worlds of folk, country, jazz, synth, and noise together to serve his purposes of creating some very compelling indie sounds, with this revolving cast of Chicago artists helping to keep him as dynamic as can be. SH I P 730 was primarily composed during the long, uncertain quarantine of 2020, when all Willitz had was his mind, his instruments, and his studio to remain productive.

Using primarily a four-track machine that he keeps at home, he experimented his way to four of his most original sonic creations yet. With an assist from the well-regarded Tatsu Aoki and Charles Rumback on bass and drums respectively, Willitz excelled in creating a short, yet exploratory excursion into some very compelling new sonic territory.

Artwork for ‘SH I P 730’ by Caleb Willitz