Released: October 20, 2023

Genre: Electronic / Soul

From: UK

Label: Young

Why you should listen: Finally! After 6 long years since the release of his debut Process, the South London vocalist has released his highly anticipated sophomore album LAHAI. Just hearing his voice again on record is enough for me, but LAHAI is an exceptional album, and one I personally very much needed to hear at this point in my life. The 14-track album is an emotive, textured and utterly mesmeric album where Sampha shares his heart, with introspective and vulnerable lyricism about manhood, adulthood, love and being lost in a disorienting world. From the opener “Stereo Colour Cloud (Shahman’s Dream)” to the closer “Rose Tint”, Sampha navigates through colourful, electronic soundscapes, with lavish synth leads and incredible drumming throughout, as he creates infectious melodies through his incredible vocal performance throughout. The jittery synths of “Spirit 2.0” and Sampha’s incredible lyrics about travelling as a means of self-discovery and the feeling of drifting without real control is inspiring and beautiful. “Dancing Circles” is incredible too, as the piano-led rhythms are striking, with Sampha’s soft vocals here creating a warm and inviting melody, in contrast to the instrumental here. The urgency of “Suspended”, with the dynamic piano-led production, and Sampha’s emotive singing and grandiose chorus makes for another highlight on the album. “Satellite Business” is stunning while “Jonathan L. Seagull” is named after Richard Bach’s novel of the same name, and talks about introspection, flying, self-discovery, and liberation from the perspective on a seagull, and the feeling of detachment in the process. We’re all individuals that deal with issues differently, and finding the balance between healing and dealing with issues individually and the collective strength that comes from community is interesting and it’s an important continuous conversation to have. “Inclination Compass (Tenderness)” is one of my favourites on the album, for its immersive piano-led composition, Sampha’s incredible introspective lyricism and unsettling energy. “Only” contrasts that energy with an upbeat groove, with continuous themes of self-discovery and expression amidst all the internal and external struggles he and his community experience. “Can’t Go Back” is an emotive, beautiful track with rhythmic and intricate drumming, incredible strings and grooves that build in energy throughout. “Evidence” is a sweet track about love, as his emotive and stunning voice throughout is incredible. “What If You Hypnotise Me?” featuring Léa Sen is another incredible track, with powerful vocals and a stunning piano-led piece that is just incredibly poignant and beautiful. “Rose Tint” concludes the album with a subdued melody, Sampha’s incredible vocals again and more introspective lyricism, showcasing Sampha’s talents as a songwriter as well as a vocalist. LAHAI by Sampha is a stunning, emotive, delicate and immersive new album from one of the world’s most talented artists. It really is an incredible body of work that will go down as one of my favourites this year.

The album: