8/10

It was 2011 when we first got to hear Sampha's voice. His collaborations with SBTRKT on the producer's debut album were so transcendent, it wasn't long before Sampha found himself collaborating with everyone from Kanye West to Frank Ocean. But now after six years in the spotlight, the singer has released his long-awaited debut album 'Process'. And thankfully, he has opted to create ten brand new tracks just for this release, rather than rely on anything from his back catalogue.

Like its title suggests, 'Process' plays like a journey of discovery and inspiration. Placing Sampha's incredible voice at the centre of this record really accentuated the connection he has with the music surrounding it. Rather than his usual place as a supporting player, each track has been written to bring out the full power in his subtle singing style. Whether it be quick pace of 'Blood On Me' or the minimal flow of '(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano', Sampha takes it all in his stride to deliver a powerful performance throughout.

While the record was certainly a long-time coming, it feels like he wasn't in too much of a rush to make it happen. The record has this very laid-back approach to songwriting, and never really likes to make much of itself. It seems Sampha likes to dwell in the subtlety of his music, and create something as diverse and it is exciting.