To celebrate the two-year anniversary of the release of his second album LAHAI, Sampha releases a previously-unheard song ‘Cumulus / Memory’. Co-written with, and featuring backing vocals from Romy, the self-produced two-part suite sees Sampha at his understated, elegant best. It was originally recorded as part of the LAHAI album sessions but remained unfinished until now, with Sampha continuing to work on it over the subsequent two years between spells of touring his LAHAI live show.
“Cumulus was the first song I wrote for Lahai and the last one to be finished” says Sampha. “Living with it for some time, I really feel like I wanted to share it with people.”
The Ivor Novello Awards-nominated LAHAI was originally released on 20 October 2023. Taken from his paternal grandfather’s name, which is also Sampha’s middle name, the album revelled in the awe and magic of our existence, synthesising the exquisite chaos that one experiences confronting the cycle of life and the beyondness. Spanning 14-tracks, it featured contributions from some of Sampha’s closest friends, peers and collaborators including Yaeji, Léa Sen, Sheila Maurice-Grey, Ibeyi, Morgan Simpson, Yussef Dayes, Laura Groves and Kwake Bass. In contrast to his Mercury Prize-winning debut album Process, LAHAI is a communal affair seeing Sampha explore the many ways in which we as humans connect to each other, and to something bigger than ourselves. If Process was an artist figuring out his own place in the world, engulfed in the shadows of grief and loss, LAHAI is an exercise in the radical acceptance and joy in the human condition, and the beauty in the journey itself.
A deluxe version of the album featuring four new songs – including Sampha’s highly anticipated collaboration with fellow London innovator Little Simz on ‘Satellite Business 2.0’ – was released a year later, crowning a period of huge acclaim. It continued a prolific collaborative streak for Sampha. Having previously lent his inimitable voice, songwriting and production skills to some of the world’s biggest artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Stormzy, Travis Scott, Drake, Solange, Frank Ocean, Beyoncé, Lil Wayne and Alicia Keys, Most recently Sampha also appeared on albums from Headie One, Ghetts, Little Simz, Fred again.. and Everything Is Recorded (as a key collaborator on Temporary), alongside collaboration with Young labelmates John Glacier and Romy.
Stream / purchase ‘Cumulus / Memory’ here.
Stream / purchase LAHAI (Deluxe) here.
