Kiefer is a keyboardist first and foremost, taught to play the blues by his father practically before he could walk. He started producing his own beats at around age twelve, and eventually went on to study under renowned jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell at UCLA’s Jazz Studies program. There, he started to toy with the synergy between the jazz piano he studied and the beats he created outside of school. While his peers performed over live instrumentation, Kiefer produced electronic beats completely free from sampled melodic material or drum breaks. 

 

No longer driven solely by Kiefer’s signature piano, several songs on Bridges incorporate new instruments, including a range of analog synths. They also display a renewed emphasis on arrangements. Steering away from the improvisatory, beat-tape styles of songs on Kickinit Alone and Happysad, Kiefer focused on a structured approach to composition and more intricately orchestrated moments, giving the title its second meaning - the musical bridge.