Makaya McCraven's 'In These Times': A musical marvel made by meticulous process
On his new album the drummer, composer and self-described "beat scientist" makes music by way of an elaborate hybrid method combining improvisation with careful editing. It sounds like magic.
When it comes to understanding Makaya McCraven's musical output of the last decade, the proof is in the process. As a drummer, producer, bandleader and composer — "" is the official — McCraven forged his style out of whirring parts and deft designs. Working with unstructured group improv and loop-savvy digital postproduction, he brings an organic touch to the recursive rhythms of hip-hop, in a way that fosters interplay. His acclaimed albums in this mode, beginning with 2015's , have all felt like part of a larger picture, as if he's less invested in devising a product than in documenting his
