Sampha-
‘Process’
After producing and collaborating with Drake, Kanye West, SBTRKT, Solange
& Frank Ocean over the past 5 years, South-London songwriter Sampha Sisay
(known simply as Sampha) has emerged from the background and soared into the electronica/soul
fusion forefront with his debut record ‘Process’.
When Sisay was just three years old, his father bought a piano into the
family home. This instrument subsequently became an extremely important outlet
for Sisay in order to enable him to express himself, offering enlightenment in
the darkest of times after his father died in 2010 and his mother in 2015. This
theme is heavy throughout the album, particularly on lead single ‘(No One Knows
Me) Like the Piano)’, an elegant, moving ballad that displays Sisay’s grand
affection towards the piano. He sings “You would show me I had something some
people call a soul”, effectively displaying the amount of gratitude he owes
this instrument.
Don’t be under the impression that this album is piano heavy though. On ‘Process’,
Sampha successfully displays his vast array of musical talents via heavy, electro-backed
tracks which meritoriously and beautifully counter with his gorgeous, lush
vocals in order to create something truly exceptional. Tracks like ‘Timmy’s
Prayer’, ‘Reverse Faults’ & ‘Blood on Me’ greatly exhibit the talent
bestowed on this young man.
‘Process’ feels much like a concept album for Sampha. 10 tracks which show the
despair he feels from his parents’ deaths, whilst also attempting to reconnect
with himself emotionally. Overall, Sampha has produced a gorgeously real and
open album which gives the listener a true insight into the complexity of this
songwriter. He feels pained, grieved, yet has found solace with music and is
able to successfully manipulate it as a creative outlet for his emotions. ‘Process’
shows what this album has meant to Sisay, a process of overcoming personal
terror in order to remain sane.
Overall
Rating- 9/10
Fave
songs- ‘Blood on Me’, ‘(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano’, ‘Reverse Faults’, ‘Under’
Least
Fave Songs- ‘Plastic 100°C’
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