Process is an exercise in catharsis, a deep breath in that lays Sampha’s soul bare through gorgeous vignettes of his life. He worries, he regrets, he aches. He’s human.
Somber, but not necessarily sad, Process maps Sissay’s emotional journey by confronting his feelings head-on; like the seven stages of grief, each emotion is unpacked and experienced through stirring cries, clever meshing of classical and electronic instruments, and a personified piano.
Process is an exercise in finding beauty in even the tragedy of a parent’s death, a record of singular probity and hard-earned optimism. It’s the best R&B debut since FKA Twigs’ LP1.
There is no doubt listening to Process that Sampha is dealing with a lot. But he is far from defeated – on the contrary, this record appears to be an invaluable opportunity for him to heal.
Process was a long time coming, but the wait has resulted in one of the most assured debut albums in recent memory. Even if it should take Sampha another six years to follow it up, the wait, I expect, will be worth it.
Process is an album built to take your breath away. From start to finish, it’s a display of Sampha’s mastery as a lyricist, a singer and a musician.
Facing the pressure of collective expectations, genuinely buckling from 6 years of anticipation, it manages to both deliver on, and gracefully dodge, them all.
It’s a remarkable, meditative work, as he processes grief and navigates self-discovery.
The 28-year-old has earned accolades working as a writer and featured guest with top-tier talent including Beyoncé, Drake, and Frank Ocean, but over Process‘ 10 songs, Sampha executes a sonically adventurous vision that’s entirely his own and builds on his enormous potential.
Every word and every sound across Process feel like they’re chosen with precision by a man whose craft is assured, who didn’t get into this business out of hunger for the spotlight, but whose talents are too big for him to avoid it.
Sampha's debut album was worth the wait.
There is so much going on, it proves a hard album to fully get to grips with, a shifting tableau of songs and sounds with only that mesmeric voice to hang on to. But when it gets under your skin, it proves immensely difficult to dislodge.
Vulnerability is the current stock-in-trade of neo-soul, but rarely has it been indulged quite as imaginatively as on Sampha’s Process.
Process swells with the impassioned, melodic expressions of South London’s Sampha Sisay.
Sampha’s solo debut sits somewhere between the ghostly avant-soul of Frank Ocean and James Blake’s emotionally wrought electronica.
With ‘Process’, Sampha lays bare his soul through warm, tinted vignettes that are achingly humane.
A debut bursting with ideas, broad in scope, and vivid in its storytelling.
With his debut LP Process, Sisay has finally given an insight to the man behind the anonymity, and it’s a stunning insight at that.
Despite Sampha’s longstanding prevalence in the music world, the intensely personal nature of Process demands a renewed relationship to his work, one that appreciates the power of distance yet marvels at connection.
If Process was flawless, Sampha’s voice would leave listeners teary, and in a time as somber as now, these uplifting numbers remind us to take a break, immerse ourselves in a rush, and focus on the positive — a welcome path to wander down.
Sampha and McDonald maneuver through a mix of naked arrangements and more electro-spiked moments on Process without getting too showy. It makes for a smooth and subtly rewarding listen, but this may also be Process’ pitfall, the record rarely ready to bask in the sun, as it were.
All ten tracks of Process paint a picture with Sampha’s thoughts, experiences and talent dead centre, in isolation.
Flawed though it is, Process is an astonishing debut that reveals things about the artist no one would have expected.
It’s a comforting record, but one you wish was a little more abrupt in places. Even so, it’s a hugely graceful collection played out with dignity.
Expectations for Sampha's first full-length album proper have been sky high. Previous collaborative efforts have in fact been nigh-on flawless, so much so that it's hard to imagine one of modern soul music's most talented voices featuring on anything less than above average. It's unfortunate then that Process, bar some stand-out moments, proves to be somewhat underwhelming.
This is like a less interesting Blonde. That is saying something right there.
Edit (48 -> 78): wow I was very impatient in 2017. Process does require that. It feels like a pure and holy Baptism for 40 minutes. It’s bliss. Slow, but rewards patience. Very pretty album
I would love to write a million words to describe this phenomenal body of work, but the only ones that can ever escape my lips are, ‘transcendent’.
Heyo! since I haven’t used this account in about 3 years, please follow my active account here: @kal3nk
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/user/kal3nk/
OUT OF MY COMFORT-ZONE - CHALLENGE
DAY 17
[Genre(s): Alternative R&B]
London-based artist Sampha released his debut album 'Process' in February of 2017. Known for lending his talents to artist like Drake on 'More Life', SBTRKT on his self-titled and many more artists from his home-country and across the world. Although, I found him ... read more
shoutout Gstv for the recommendation, go follow them rn or I will steal ur sink
dude thanks for reminding me about this album bc I always forget to review it and it is one of my favorite albums of all time
Not much to say other than the supreme masterclass by Sampha, this soulful journey sends you to another dimension and doesn't send you back
fav: Plastic 100°C, Blood On Me, (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano
After listening to "Lahai" I really wanted more from him so I decided to check his debut album and what an amazing one! Just like his second album, Sampha uses his own style, Alternative R&B, that is amazing and amazing lyrics and rhythms in every single song!
★ Blood On Me
1 | Plastic 100°C 5:16 | 92 |
2 | Blood On Me 4:06 | 94 |
3 | Kora Sings 4:17 | 87 |
4 | (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano 3:38 | 90 |
5 | Take Me Inside 2:18 | 81 |
6 | Reverse Faults 4:13 | 88 |
7 | Under 4:41 | 87 |
8 | Timmy's Prayer 4:23 | 86 |
9 | Incomplete Kisses 3:53 | 86 |
10 | What Shouldn't I Be? 3:32 | 82 |
#1 | / | The Vinyl Factory |
#2 | / | Fuse |
#3 | / | BBC Radio 6 Music |
#3 | / | Clash |
#4 | / | Complex UK |
#4 | / | Double J |
#4 | / | Noisey |
#4 | / | NPR Music |
#4 | / | The Key |
#5 | / | Baeble Music |