In the quiet tempo of his days in Philadelphia, Josh Karpeh, better known as Cautious Clay, has been learning how to listen differently.
Between painting sessions, pickup basketball games, and late nights in the studio, he’s found himself moving with a new kind of intention. That stillness, and the curiosity within it, became the foundation for The Hours, his three-part conceptual project exploring the passage of time through sound, emotion, and inner self-discovery.
“The Hours: Morning,” released earlier this year, is a record built on calm and optimism. Its follow-up, “The Hours: Night,” out Oct. 24, steps into the opposite space. Where morning invites reflection, night commands action.
Cautious Clay is coming to the Regent Theater on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Travys Owen) Cautious Clay is coming to the Regent Theater on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Travys Owen) Cautious Clay is coming to the Regent Theater on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Travys Owen) Cautious Clay is coming to the Regent Theater on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Travys Owen) Show Caption1 of 4Cautious Clay is coming to the Regent Theater on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Travys Owen) Expand“I’d just come off ‘Karpeh,’ which was a really personal record about my grandparents’ relationship and how it rippled through my family and me,” Clay explains over the phone. “For ‘The Hours,’ I wanted something that still felt personal, but also more universal, something anyone could connect to. I had just moved to Philly and was figuring out how to see the world differently, how to feel inspired again.”
As he settled into his new rhythm, small rituals began shaping the framework of his days: painting, cooking, taking walks, and noticing how energy shifted with each passing hour. That awareness soon became the framework of his music. “I was just thinking about how we spend our days, how each hour has its own rhythm,” he says. “Like, am I more creative in the morning or at night? Am I allowing myself to feel certain things at certain times? It became this kind of experiment of, ‘what if each song sounded like a specific time of day?’”
The result is a deeply human project that maps the world of time.
“With night, I wanted to explore themes of longing and release, that space where you’re both searching and surrendering,” he says. “There’s definitely this energy of clubbing, of being out late and feeling a little bit out of body. Mushrooms and psychedelics play into that, too. That sense of being expansive and curious. It’s a little trippy, a little fun, and definitely not too serious.”
Sonically, “Night” expands his palette, drawing from icons like Depeche Mode, the funk of George Duke and Rachelle Ferrell, and the beats of Living Colour and New Edition. The result, as Clay puts it, feels cinematic, soulful, and at times unpredictable. And over the course of creating “The Hours,” Clay’s relationship with time has evolved. From something abstract to something deeply personal.
“My relationship with time has always been kind of touch and go,” he admits. “I really value time with people, but I’m not regimented. I’m actually late a lot, which makes it funny that I was early for this [phone call],” he laughs. “For me, time isn’t about strictness or schedules. It’s precious, but not in the way people tie it to money or productivity. It’s more about relationships, about building something lasting and meaningful with the people around you. That’s what gives time its real value.”
It’s a sentiment that carries through not only in his songwriting but with his sense of community. Collaboration has always been essential to Clay’s DNA, from co-writing with artists like Billie Eilish and John Mayer to Khalid and Melanie Martinez. “I love creating solo, but I love community even more,” he says.
That desire to connect, both musically and emotionally, will come to life when Clay brings “The Hours” to Los Angeles’ Regent Theater on Friday, Oct. 24. Fans can expect songs from both chapters, some fan favorites from the past, and possibly a few surprises along the way.
“At its core, ‘The Hours’ is really about balance, a mix of time wasted and time well spent,” he reflects. “I just want people to feel free to move through their emotions in ways that feel productive but also calm. Give yourself a break. The more grace you give yourself, the better prepared you are for everything else life throws at you.”
He pauses for a moment, then adds softly, “We don’t know how much time we have, but we can use it to connect. To enjoy the people around us. That’s the heart of it for me. That’s ‘The Hours’.”
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