Is Sampha’s “Lahai” A Modern Masterpiece?
Fans had to wait 6 long years after his first album: “Process”, in 2017, which was highly praised by critics and fans alike for it’s beautiful, modern, electronic production mixed with Sampha’s strong vocal presence and insightful lyricism.
Some people were quick to compare Sampha to other artists like Frank Ocean and James Blake, who were both comparatively making their own marks within the alternative R&B and Pop spheres with their infusing of electronic music, but I think Sampha scratched a different itch through his unique songwriting and hair raising falsetto vocals.
Fans eagerly awaited Sampha’s next album to see if he would build upon what he started within Process or just become another artist chasing the high of their debut album. On October 20, 2023, Sampha released his second studio album, “Lahai”, yet again to praise from critics and fans.
In this analysis, I want to discuss the 12 tracks (and 2 interludes) that make up “Lahai” and decide whether it was worth the 6-year wait.
Stereo Colour Cloud (Shaman’s Dream):
Stereo Colour Cloud as an intro sets the album up perfectly because it introduces you to the dreamy colorful production that is the norm on “Lahai.” The drums and the piano capture your attention and place you directly into the world that Sampha is creating. I think this was also a smart track to start the album off because fans of “Process” will feel right at home with the piano melodies that play throughout this track. Lyrically, Sampha introduces three ideas that are key throughout the entire project, those being flight and time, as well as his love for nature. Some lyrics that stand out to me are:
“I miss you, time misuse. Time flies, life issues”
And
“Facing infinity, my demons fly and chase me on the ground. We grow a pair of wings and fly on high”
Overall this song introduces the main themes of the record and places us inside Sampha’s mind, doing exactly what a great intro should do.
Spirit 2.0:
Spirit 2.0 was the lead single of “Lahai,” and this song continues to grow on me more and more with every listen. Throughout his lyrics, Sampha talks about how he is being “caught” by things like light, waves, faith, and spirits while he is scared or in tough situations.
I believe that these are a metaphor for his connection and love toward others that is healing him. Sampha himself said that this song is influenced heavily by West African folk music, and I think this is evident through the fast-paced drum patterns and the chords. Still, paired with the synths and background vocals this track feels like a spiritual experience that only Sampha could concoct.
Dancing Circles:
This track could have multiple different interpretations depending on who is listening to it, but I struggled to uncover what this song makes me feel. It took me visiting my grandma for the first time since leaving for college to realize that Dancing Circles talks about the feeling of having a conversation with someone that you haven’t talked with in a while.
Sampha compares this feeling to dancing throughout the song and with the danceable grooves provided by the piano, Sampha creates such a unique concept with this song that every time I listen, I pick up on something I never noticed before.
Some of my favorite lyrics are:
“We talk about movement, we talk about how, how we miss the groove. Dancing, dancing, hand in hand with you, glow. Dancing, come close, hold me, hold me, so much so we both let go. Glancing, you know I love you though. Recollecting moments back in Mexico.”
Suspended:
The first traditional love song on the record, ‘Suspended’ sports an absolutely killer hook delivered by Sampha:
“Suspended, I’ve been lifted by her love. I fell, lifted from above, Suspended.”
Sampha talks about how he feels uplifted by a woman in his life and how he appreciates her love and support. The production further reinforces the dreamy atmosphere put on by the tracks preceding it. Although this song doesn't have as much substance as some other songs on “Lahai,” Suspended is one of the catchiest and most attention-grabbing songs throughout the tracklist. I also love the build-up to the distorted panning vocals before the last refrain of the hook where Sampha just sounds so invigorated with energy and then the clean transition right back into the hook happens to end the song off.
Satellite Business:
Sampha packs a ton into this 1 minute and 25-second song, starting with the production. Sampha uses a quick urgent flow during the first minute of the song, where he talks about how his role in life has shifted as time has gone on and now his new purpose is to care for his daughter.
He then slows down and repeats this refrain:
“Thinking maybe there’s no ends, maybe, just infinity. Maybe, no beginnings, maybe, just bridges.”
This further reinforces the idea that his needs have become second in favor of his daughters and getting older isn’t getting closer to the end it’s just a bridge to using your experiences in life to guide someone else.
Jonathan L. Seagull:
Sampha references the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull for the second time in “Lahai,” with the first being during a line in Spirit 2.0 where he compares himself and his life to the character.
In the novella “Jonathan Livingston Seagull,” author Richard Bach tells the story of a young seagull who seeks self-realization, meaning, and freedom. The song Jonathon L. Seagull is an ode to individuality, and Sampha makes this painfully clear through his immensely sad vocals that are spliced with an unnamed female artist delivering these lyrics:
“Even though we’ve been through the same. Doesn’t always mean we feel the same. Doesn’t always mean we heal the same. You are not me and that’s okay.”
The production is so dreamy and makes you feel like you’re levitating with the help of Sampha’s heavenly vocals, which might be the pinnacle vocally of the entire album.
Inclination Compass (Tenderness):
Here, Sampha talks about how we as humans have our own compasses imprinted within us that instead of providing us with guidance in the form of showing direction, our compasses guide us through relationships with people.
In all relationships, there can be sour spots and disagreements that can lead to anger or sadness, and Sampha suggests that to resolve these, we should follow our compass and use tenderness.
Some lyrics that Sampha uses that I think perfectly provide an explanation to what he is talking about are:
“Let's switch from cold to warm again. Now, I don’t mean to minimise your words. There’s a requisite to trust, I hurt. Yeah, you’ve been spending so much time with work. It really had me questioning my worth.”
I love the unique concept in this song, and I think Sampha’s writing is so imaginative and vivid. This song is easily one of the most solid in the track list lyrically, conceptually, and creatively and adds to the already stacked lineup of tracks preceding it.
Only:
Only is a song that shouldn’t work as well as it does, but because of Sampha’s impressive vocals and writing style, he makes the repetition of the word “only” work wonders. In my opinion, this is the catchiest song on “Lahai.”
I don’t think this is the most lyrically dense song in the album, but Only definitely still has its place within the track list and serves its job well as a self-confidence anthem.
Some of my favorite lyrics include:
“Betting on myself, like, how wise is this hope? Betting on myself, like, how wide is this hole?”
Can’t Go Back:
Can’t Go Back is a song about how, no matter what, you can’t go back in time.
This itself isn’t exactly an original concept for a song, but he works in his own unique angle in true Sampha fashion. Sampha talks about the joys of living in the present, like spending time with his daughter, and says he’s had his chance at living only for himself, but now that his daughter is with him, he has to live in the present for her.
I like this song because it continues the ideas that were briefly brought up in Satellite Business and goes more in-depth with them. The track starts out with very minimal and dreamy production and, throughout the song, builds to add more and more elements like drums, pianos, and eventually an absolutely gorgeous horn melody to end the song on an incredible note.
Evidence:
Evidence continues Sampha’s search for discovering a meaning to life, and again he attributes his findings to his daughter. The idea of this track is that he sees life much differently after the birth of his daughter. He is a changed man who has found his own meaning in life. Sampha’s vocals at the beginning of the song are dream-like and whispy, almost like a cloud.
The production has a gorgeous combination of heavy piano keys, a fantastic drum pattern, and even a bass guitar melody that allows Sampha to flow his way through the track. This track is a beautiful ode to his daughter that showcases Sampha’s immense love for his daughter.
What If You Hypnotise Me?:
This track’s title explains exactly what it’s about, but the meaning of the track is a bit more difficult to decipher. Starting with instrumental, a sobering piano melody is playing throughout the track with a fast-paced drum pattern placed over it. The instrumental shifts into a beautiful string passage when featured artist Lea Sen delivers her short verse on the back end.
The way I interpret Sampha’s verses are him wishing for an easy way to relieve himself of his problems, perhaps through the use of hypnotization so he could forget about his issues — a fast and easy way instead of working through them.
I think this is an interesting notion, and I appreciate Sampha for tackling such a unique and different concept for a song. Lea Sen’s verse is not only beautiful because of the instrumental shift it is delivered on but also because it reinforces Sampha’s thoughts about having problems and not knowing what to do. Lea Sen assumes the role of the hypnotist, and her lyrics paint a picture of Sampha being trapped or not cautious and living dangerously. She says that she can help him and guide him to fix his problems.
Some of my favorite lyrics from her verse include:
“Travelling inside your confine. Traffic in your heart and your mind. The spirit of your memory’s gone blind. There’s answers in your body entwined.”
Rose Tint:
Throughout the album, Sampha talks about the beauty in relationships he has made or rekindled and how he attributes them to healing him. The final song on “Lahai” reflects on the relationships he hasn’t rekindled, but more specifically, the ones he wishes to. The vocals express a feeling of somberness for the relationships he wants so badly to be like they were long ago before they faded. He pleads for these people to reach an understanding with him but receives no answer.
Additionally, in the lyrics, Sampha talks about using his Inclination Compass to maybe work toward a positive resolution of these relationships, making a direct reference to the song earlier in the album. He also talks about seeking refuge in nature when the relationships failed, giving more context to Stereo Colour Cloud, the first song in the album. The production utilizes a depressing piano melody with robotic synths popping up as the track progresses, building toward something until the final 20 seconds, where Sampha pleads one last time, saying:
“Everybody gather around, gonna take this picture now. Everybody speaking loud. Everybody in one house.”
The album ends here, wrapping up all the ideas introduced throughout “Lahai” and ultimately culminating with Rose Tint, showing that although Sampha has dealt with many of the problems plaguing him, he is still on a journey to better himself.
With “Lahai,” Sampha builds upon everything he began with “Process,” taking his original sound of electronic loops on that project and innovating by making the instrumentation dreamier and even more beautiful.
He also improves his writing ability; nearly every song is either a unique concept, made from a fascinating perspective, or is so catchy that it’s impossible not to love it.
I believe that Sampha has a modern masterpiece on his hands, and with time this album will age into not only a classic but one of the best electronic — R&B albums of all time.
