With Controlled Burn, Chicago poet, musician, and multidisciplinary artist Marvin Tate creates a vivid meeting point between spoken word, experimental soul, jazz, and improvisation. Tate’s distinctive voice sits at the center, turning everyday observations, memories, and social reflections into intimate musical narratives.

Loose grooves, expressive instrumentation, and unexpected shifts give the record a raw, spontaneous character, while its poetic core keeps the music grounded and deeply human. There is humor and warmth alongside moments of tension and vulnerability, with each piece unfolding more like a conversation than a conventional song.

Controlled Burn is an adventurous and deeply personal record, balancing poetry and improvisation with the restless creative spirit of Chicago’s experimental music scene.