Being one’s own genre can be a liberating and inspiring position for an artist. For Robbie Gennet, that means he can stretch from synth pop to art rock to boogie and it all fits nicely under his giant umbrella. On Ghosts, the talented artist’s fifth full-length album release of 2025, Robbie continues his mission to bring the lost art of piano playing back to the front and center.

“When I recorded “Need to Breathe”, I went off on both acoustic piano and my trusty vintage Clavinet, figuring one or the other would wind up as the main track,” recounts Gennet. “Turns out, both were destined to intertwine in this song full of funk chaos and frantic lyrics. One of my early influences was the Jeff Beck album Blow by Blow, where keyboardist Max Middleton played separate Rhodes and Clavinet tracks that danced together across the stereo spectrum. Definitely an inspiration for this trippy madness!”

 

The new album showcases Robbie’s unique ability to blend written music with improvisation leading to a few piano moments that come unglued in a most magical way. “Improvising makes for these wild moments of artful chaos, taking the listener by surprise before quickly returning to reality,” explains Robbie. “My own Pianarchy style is surely part of the mix. I’d also give a shout out to Mike Garson’s unhinged piano solo on David Bowie’s “Aladdin Sane” which blew my mind and showed my younger self that boundaries are for squares.”

 

Robbie’s thoughtful lyrics keep listeners thinking around a number of subjects, including manipulation and fear on “The Weapon”, and the echoes of past lives on “Ghosts”. Equally engaging are the different sounds throughout the album, like “The Thriller” and its deeply funky Clavinet and grooving bass that equal the kind of party that turns a basement club into a groove sauna. “Ready or Not” finishes the album with an extended piano solo that has some organic twists and turns through Robbie’s improvised piano play.

 

Up next for Robbie are more album releases, mixed with select single drops, as well as his first live streaming concert, which will be announced in the coming weeks.