On July 22, 2025, Los Angeles-based artist Carter Ace released his latest single, “Little Bit of Conversation”, the first taste of his upcoming album SPADE, set to drop in August. Recorded back in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, the song not only marks the beginning of the SPADE journey but also represents a defining moment in Carter’s creative and personal growth.
From the first listen, “Little Bit of Conversation” hooks you with its confident blend of retro-inspired production and modern flair. Carter Ace and his close-knit collaborators — Fahem Erfan, Gio Alford, and Josh Feliciano — pull from the textures of 90s music, drawing heavy influence from Outkast, Tyler, the Creator, and D’Angelo. The result is a track built on distorted drums, slapback-delayed vocals, and a groove that feels equal parts nostalgic and forward-thinking.
What makes the track stand out isn’t just its sonic polish — it’s the story behind it. Carter began recording in his first apartment during lockdown, using an electronic drum kit he found in the used section of Guitar Center. That same apartment later became the place where he signed his deal with Republic Records. The song was born from an intensely personal period; Carter, already reclusive by nature, found the pandemic to be an unintentional excuse to disconnect further. That isolation became fertile ground for self-reflection, eventually leading to this bold, catchy, and unfiltered release.
Carter himself admits it’s the catchiest song on the album, which makes sense as to why it leads the SPADE rollout. After holding onto it for nearly five years, releasing it feels like a long-awaited exhale — a letting go of something both musically and emotionally significant.
But “Little Bit of Conversation” is also a statement about Carter Ace’s “Construction Carter” lifestyle — a concept he embraced after a nine-month social media hiatus to focus entirely on building his craft. This dedication isn’t just thematic; it will carry over into his upcoming US shows, where stages will be set up like construction sites to fully immerse fans in the album’s concept.
As the first chapter of SPADE, “Little Bit of Conversation” sets the tone for an album that promises to challenge, inspire, and redefine Carter Ace’s place in the music scene. It’s confident without being arrogant, retro without being dated, and personal without being overly guarded.
With this single, Carter Ace isn’t just offering a song — he’s inviting listeners into the world he’s been building quietly for years. And if “Little Bit of Conversation” is any indication, SPADE might just be one of the most exciting releases of the year.
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