Calliope Music Review of the Week
Sampha - Lahai
Luscious, yet Receding Tide of Comely RnB
Piano resounds in soothing environments of double bass, jabbing synth, and jittery MIDI drums. Sampha crafts comforting rhythms through detailed production, focused on moody key leads and fluid atmospherics. The conceptual matter of the project reflects the production, with the motif of fluidity being recognized in matters of love, faith, and time.
Manufacturing, sentiment, sonic climate: it's all there on Lahai. Sampha's vocals add another layer of silk to already satiny tracks, calmly gliding over serene ambiance and UK Garage beats. That being said, a few key components of the record dramatically affect how much sentimentality gets through, shackling the project's genuine ingenuity.
A couple of the major issues for the forty minute LP are its unfocused structure and vocal cadence. There a lot of distinctive and quite fashionable sounds on this record, but poor structuring leaves many resonations unresolved or washed out by more significant sections. One of the most significant aspects are the vocals and the vocal delivery. As mentioned before, Sampha's voice is bright and lustrous, but the flow of almost every verse reads repetitive and monotonous. Choruses and hooks alike see the same problem, as the same melody is tediously replicated throughout the track. This ultimately degrades otherwise engaging progressions, making the record much less memorable than the production suggests.
All in all, Lahai is still able to present a unique RnB sound, bringing in an impressive lexicon of rippled synths and charming piano progressions. Although the vocal flow is ironically rigid, the liquid construction finds its place among top quality Alternative RnB.
Best Tracks: Spirit 2.0 -- Suspended -- Jonathan L. Seagull -- Can't Go Back -- What If You Hypnotize Me?
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