SAM THOMAS

Sam Thomas has been well cemented in the local music scene for a few years now, playing in metal, punk and indie bands, to solo acoustic guitar driven music.  Having finally found his niche in the hip-hop world, describing it as "the most enjoyable to date, I'm proud of the current work and super excited to see what's to come."  Between working together on track and playing on the same live shoes Sam has collaborated with hotly tipped North-East artists Kay Greyson, Eyeconic and Jack Fox but he is now pushing forward to be the name on everybody's lips and with his latest offering 'Progress' he soon will be.

Now if you are into your lo fi, chilled out hip-hop then 'Progress' is a mixtape that you need to dive into, he brings a blend of melodic, ambient and groovy hip hop beats.  The first track is the down tempo 'Mr Sunshine', beginning with a calming piano that has a vinyl crackling over it to really give you that old school vibe.  As the track progresses it becomes more hip hop infused, whilst the chilled out vibe never leaves, the track becomes slightly thicker, with the addition of the bass line that contains the groove.  Lyrically Sam delves in deep, taking a personal approach where he reflects on topics such as trust.  This is the perfect opener track to ease you into this mixtape and sets the tone for what you can expect from the rest of the mixtape.

 'Another Word' picks up the tempo with a grime beat that sticks to the simplicity of just a drum beat and a flute like synth with a low vibrating bass line underneath, which allows Sam's vocals to flow undisturbed over the top.  The passion that he expresses as he tells the story about the music industry, as well as everyday life from his perspective both locally and further afield "I'm not here to pretend, I'm not here to give in, I work it hard till I got nothing left". 

'Take My Time' brings a haunting instrumental feel a chime like synth can be heard that sits at the core, with Sam taking on the topic of mental health "Days come and go too quickly, I can't please everyone.  So please everyone let me have my time" letting the listener know that that if you feel overwhelmed you aren't alone and it's okay to take a moment to stop and take a step back.  

'Easy', 'Headshot', 'She Belongs To Another' and 'Just Cruising' all take up the middle of the mix tape and each track really shows how comfortable Sam has become within his sound, both in his writing and vocal flow.  'Easy' and 'Headshot' lean towards the grime influences, which come through in the drum beat and track tempos.  The tracks begin with synth/filtered acoustic melodies and then move into an edgy element where Sam's vocals come in and you are left captivated by how the melodic elements melt in with his voice.  The lyrical themes of both these tracks sit within the darker side of relationships and Sam's heartfelt tone through out both leaves you feeling every word he says.  

'She Belongs To Another' and 'Just Cruising' are both laid back in tempo, bringing a chilled out hip hop/r&b instrumental feel, both of which perfectly contrast the previous two tracks.  Emotion pours out from all corners of each song and their lush melodic moments from the synth pianos in 'She Belongs To Another' and the gritty guitar melody in 'Just Cruising' layered underneath create the soothing undertones and the lyrics give that polished finishing touch to each.  

'#IHATEHASTAGS' brings a funkier jazzier style compared to what we have heard previously.  Only a minute and a half long the song is a brisk track made up of a double bass line and bouncy melodies making it a more up beat listen.  The lyrics are incredible catchy and will stick in your head for a while "I hate hashtags, if you're the same then wave your handbags".

'Golden Boy' is the second short track on the mixtape, lasting around the same time as '#IHATEHASHTAGS' and is definitely one of those tracks that will get you bopping along to.  The groove of the bass line glides effortlessly underneath the punchy synth melodies and allows Sam to work his lyrical magic.  

The mixtape ends on 'You Don't Know Me', which feels as though it has come full circle.  He opens the track by thanking the listeners "I wanna thank you for listening to my mixtape"/"A little insight into who I am".  The instrumentation is more on the lighter side compared to the more densely packed tracks heard previously, the drums, gentle guitar and synth all sit spaced out within the mix, they are not there to take your attention away from Sam's emotional lyricism, they are simply there to create the atmosphere, emphasise his lyrics and to be the rhythmic backbone.  The perfect number to finish the mixtape off.

This mixtape definitely places Sam within the midst of hip-hop, his personal approach to his lyrics and north eastern accent being prominent through out gives his music that distinction and uniqueness, that if you were to hear it you would know exactly that it was a Sam Thomas track.  'Progress' needs to be heard, the emotion and the raw edginess that is felt through out is something that gets right inside your head. 

FACEBOOK - samthomasmusicuk

INSTAGRAM - samthomasmusicuk

TWITTER - @sam_thomas_uk