Sampha review
08 10

Sampha Process Young Turks

03.02.17

Process swells with the impassioned, melodic expressions of South London’s Sampha Sisay. Despite not releasing a full-length solo album until now, Sampha has enjoyed mainstream recognition primarily as a featured artist. In 2016, he seemed to thrust out of a relatively quiet period, appearing on the albums of Kanye, Frank Ocean and Solange.

It’s been a steep ascent since his early days collaborating with SBTRKT, but it’s clear to see why he’s so sought after: Sampha’s voice hits you at a spiritual level. Last May, he announced on Instagram: “I’ve had a lot to process these past couple of years, as we all do, and it’s hard to articulate sometimes.” During that time, what Sampha was processing and writing about was the death of his mother after the unexpected return of her cancer. And on Process, it’s hard not to feel deeply absorbed in his pain. Blood On Me hits you straight in the gut with Sampha’s vulnerable and desperate pleads, as he runs from the fears in his dreams only to wake with their presence at the edge of his bed. (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano – written when Sampha moved back to his mum’s house – is a stirring duet between his velvety voice and the piano, which represents her home. A ballad co-written by Kanye, Timmy’s Prayer is the track where Sampha really gives everything he’s got: “I don’t know which way to go now, don’t know which way is home now.” The track is flooded with a sense of being lost, imagery of being at the shore, feelings suffocating him. Feelings which he’s poured into this exquisite debut album.