SAMPHA
Sandwiched in a tough time slot between Friday’s two biggest acts, The xx and Gorillaz on the neighboring Green stage, R&B, soul and electronic producer/singer-songwriter Sampha laid down a dark and moody set to Red Marquee crowds. Surrounded by a bank of keyboards and samplers, Sampha showed that his own material deserves as much credit as his collaborations with such big-name artists as Drake, Kanye, SBTRKT and Jessie Ware, balancing his set out with plenty of both.
The opening piano notes of “Plastic 100°C” were met with huge applause and Sampha squeezed every last bit of emotion into each song from the start. Backed by a three-piece on drum machines and synths, it was Sampha’s piano and smooth voice that never strayed from the spotlight. Echoing emotion through the narrow tent across highlights “Too Much” and “Incomplete Kisses”, he slowly gained momentum up to the final closer “Blood on Me”, which upped the tempo and left audiences stunned but wanting more.
Setlist:
PLASTIC
TIMMY
UNDER
REVERSE FAULTS
TOO MUCH
NO ONE KNOWS ME
KISSES
HAPPENS
WITHOUT
KORA
4422
BLOOD ON ME
