Sampha Delivers on First Full Length Album ‘Process’

For those of you who’ve heard of Sampha, it’s likely because of his collaborative work with SBTRKT, Solange, Kanye West, Drake, Jessie Ware, and others. And he’s been a true blessing to all of those musicians listed, just listen to “Don’t Touch My Hair” by Solange, or the deeply complex “Saint Pablo” by Kanye West. Sampha is an asset both musically and vocally, and has proven himself to be a valuable instrument to anyone who wants to emotionally transcend their work.

Sampha’s first full-length LP dropped today, February 3rd, via Young Turks. The album, titled Process, includes the previously released singles “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano” and “Timmy’s Prayer”, the latter of which was co-written by Kanye West. As a whole, the album is daring, bold, an incredibly impressive debut that puts him among the ranks of his collaborators, if not above them. Sampha isn’t afraid to voice his vulnerability, fears, and experiences with grief, all of which is acutely and intimately expressed.

Music and lyrics are near perfectly integrated throughout the narrative arc of Process. The record poses a range of emotions to the listener. At times urgent and faced with terror (“Kora Sings” and “Blood On Me”), languid and sullen (“(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano”), and spiritually triumphant (“Timmy’s Prayer”), Process is an outstanding roller coaster ride of feeling, one that we couldn’t have anticipated from the modest artist.

Sampha’s Process isn’t merely a soulful, piano-focused album. Often he makes room for supernatural synth melodies, African harp, daring polyrhythms, and other electronic elements. Along with being musically diversified, Sampha’s lyrical content ranges from personal experience, to exploring his political identity, to revealing the dark anxiety that stems from his own nightmarish dreaming.

Currently, Sampha has a few scheduled tour dates, including one at NYC’s Terminal 5 on February 5th before he heads overseas to tour Europe. We think it’s very likely that Sampha will be announcing a full North American + U.K tour now that Process has been released. Until then, you can catch him this Spring at Coachella Music Festival, along with Radiohead, Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Lorde, and more.

You can stream all of Process by Sampha on Spotify or Apple Music now, or, you could check out some of his music videos on Sampha’s Vevo. “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano“, a gorgeous ode to Sampha’s roots, his love of the piano, his mother, and home now has its own music video. Check out the beautiful visuals of Sampha’s beautiful single below: