Sampha has made his long-awaited return with his first new song in six years. The English singer dropped "Spirit 2.0" for fans on Wednesday. He worked with Yaeji, El Guincho, and Ibeyi’s Lisa-Kaindé Diaz, among others on the effort. Sampha previously previewed the song during recent concerts in New York and London.
“It’s about the importance of connection to both myself and others, and the beauty and harsh realities of just existing,” Sampha said of “Spirit 2.0” in a press release. In the song, he sings, “Now I’m drifting into open skies/And I ain’t scared as before." Check out the full song below.
Sampha's Long-Awaited Return
He continued in the press release: “It’s about acknowledging those moments when you need help—that requires real strength. I hope people can enjoy that feeling of someone being there for you, even if that person doesn’t have the answers. Just calling someone up without overthinking… letting go and just dancing… wanting to see past the mundanity of things and appreciating the magic of it all, from birds nests to spaceships.”
Despite not releasing any solo music since his full-length debut album, Process, in 2017, Sampha has collaborated with numerous other artists in the time since. He's appeared on Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (“Father Time”), SBTRKT’s The Rat Road (“L.F.O.“), and Stormzy’s This Is What I Mean (“Sampha’s Plea”), among others.
As for upcoming releases, Drake recently teased on his Instagram Story that the two have something in the works. “@sampha and me cooking up something cr*zy,” Drake captioned a photo of the two of them. "Weird you lost your London accent, but whatever people evolve I guess." Sampha has yet to confirm any details on a new album, but back in April, he released a vinyl repress of his 2013 EP, Dual, and wrote on Instagram: "Once again thank you for those who are still listening.. New music is loading.. I appreciate the patience." Be on the lookout for more new music from Sampha on HotNewHipHop.
Quotable Lyrics:
Waves will catch you
Light will catch you
Love will catch you
Spirit gon’ catch you
[Via]