R&B vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Cautious Clay has had a busy 2025, releasing ‘The Hours: Night,’ as a follow-up to May 2025’s ‘The Hours: Morning.’ In this exclusive commentary, the Brooklyn-based artist breaks down the making of key tracks from the project. The track “5th Floor (10pm)” features Q-Tip and was written with Raphael Saadiq. “It was an idea he had, and I immediately responded to it,” he says. Elsewhere, “Fade Blue (11pm)” was inspired by West African club music – “I wanted the song to feel like a party” — and “Art Museum (2am)” was born out of a sense of longing for that special someone who “helps you create a better version of yourself.” Listen now.

Voice Notes: Cautious Clay on "5th Floor (10pm)"

SoundCloud Stories elevates artists’ creative journeys, spotlights vibrant music communities and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the defining sounds of today and tomorrow. Original content includes the Sound Advice interview series, exclusive track-by-track artist commentary on Voice Notes, and the Weekly Download playlist, which highlights essential scenes and groundbreaking artists.