cka FLAX Releases 'i can't stop lying to you' in Collaboration with Zack Feinberg of The Revivalists

Singer-songwriter, cka FLAX releases “i can’t stop lying to you” from the birth of fantasy album produced by lead guitarist, Zack Feinberg of The Revivalists due February 7.

FLAX’s poignant exploration of what’s real and how we connect to each other finds its anchor in "i can't stop lying to you." Reflecting on societal pressures to distort information and adopt false identities, FLAX describes the track as “a vehicle for exploring how important truth actually is.”

By framing the song from his point of view and talking directly to the listener, he makes it feel personal (admitting he’s part of the problem) and also like a public service announcement. This approach flows seamlessly from his debut single, "i'm sorry i can't dance," featuring Feinberg. The song narrows the lens, diving into the intimate interplay of two people living in different realities, caught in a push and pull of what’s working and what’s not. FLAX pairs exquisitely delicate vocals with fluttering guitars and ethereal synths, creating a soundscape that’s both playful and sincere.

“These days, it seems like we’re all having too much trouble being honest with ourselves and each other, and it’s getting to the point where people have stopped believing that truth matters, or that there’s even any truth at all. ” said FLAX.

Recorded in New Orleans and produced by Zack Feinberg, the album reveals a stunning sense-of-self evolution since cka FLAX’s eponymous 2020 self-titled debut EP. The 10 tracks include three short interludes that act as both segues between and companions to the album’s seven songs.

“My guy cka FLAX is a one of a kind artist. His songs are so out of the box. They’re clever and refreshingly different. I couldn’t stop listening to the demos he sent me - that’s why we started working together,” said Feinberg.

Former Incan Abraham frontman Teddy Cafaro provides backing vocals throughout the birth of fantasy, which also includes a guest duet performance from revered New Orleans singer-songwriter Maggie Koerner (Galactic, Gov’t Mule) on the gorgeously melancholic “pulling parachutes.”

While staying true to his signature genre-defying, fingerpicked nylon-string guitar style, the album breaks free from traditional guitar/bass/drums structures. It blends synths, programmed beats, and manipulated signals with organic instrumentation, all anchored by cka FLAX’s raw, shuddering vibrato.

“I realized this time around that there are no rules,” said cka FLAX. “Just because I write on a classical instrument, I can still use whatever sounds I want in the recording process. I’m looking to cross genres and take some chances to create soundscapes that are a little different.”

In addition to directing and editing the music videos, cka FLAX used Google’s early AI tool, ImageFX to create the album artwork and single covers. “I wanted AI to echo the album’s exploration of distorted and made-up perspectives and personal illusions,” he explained.

cka FLAX is a multidisciplinary artist and storyteller whose music blends timeless melodies with cutting-edge production and poignant, reflective lyrics. Born and raised in Manhattan to a Beatles-fan songwriter father and a Motown-loving mother, cka FLAX's musical foundation is rooted in classic influences like Smokey Robinson and Ella Fitzgerald as well as more modern influences like Thom Yorke. Self-taught on guitar by age 15, he later honed his songwriting as a GarageBand composer, balancing jazz-inspired sophistication with accessible hooks to releasing his self-titled debut EP in 2020 produced by Zack Feinberg (lead guitarist of The Revivalists).

FLAX has also built a career as a journalist and filmmaker, working with major outlets like the BBC and directing/producing projects featuring Cedric the Entertainer and Mark Ruffalo. His ability to tell meaningful stories carries over into his music, which has been praised for its depth, poetic humor, and emotional resonance.

Photo Credit: Nat Prinzi

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