Samm Henshaw Delivers Deeper Meaning on New Project (Album Review)
Samm Henshaw has returned with a mini-album with a major heart. ‘For Someone Somewhere Who Isn’t Us‘ sees the Londoner pack his neo-soul vibe with bluesy, jazzy influence into six tracks. For what this project lacks in length, it makes up for in artistic depth. The son of a reverend, Henshaw weaves gospel into his R&B, bringing a heartwarming, soulful energy to his music that fans adore.
In true R&B fashion, Henshaw curates songs ranging from lighthearted and reflective, to heartbroken. However, this album houses a greater concept too. This body of work comes after a recent creative block where he lost his excitement for music. This record is an allegory for creatives re-discovering themselves, symbolised through a “blue book” of inspiration. This artist always packs deeper meaning into his music and visuals. For new listeners, this project is a great introduction.
Under God (Crash)
Let’s start with the lead single, one of the more upbeat tracks on the project. We hear this vocalist’s instrument break at times as he emotionally admits defeat in his destructive relationship. The plucky guitar and jazzy melodies offer an upbeat, feel-good tinge to a song that could be pretty down in the dumps otherwise. The music video made me love this song even more. Samm is running, injured, back to his car after a crash… just to wake up broken all over again. Is this symbolism of a ‘car crash’ relationship, is the car representative of his relationship? That’s his brilliance, you get to decide.
Fade (ft. KIRBY)
Usually, a collaboration between two vocalists takes centre stage on a track – but in this song, the instrumentation is the main character. KIRBY and Samm produce ear-pleasing harmonies as they lay their relationship problems bare. Catch the slick lyricism on here too: “Pardon me for being frank / I’ve cried an ocean over folks who were no kin to me.”. Again, the visualiser helped this song make sense to me. In the music video – which has all the emotional gravitas of a short film – we peer into a couples therapy session. This is what this song sounds like, an emotional release for two trapped lovers.
The Café
Sometimes the best songs are the most simple. Here, this artist does what he does best, tells an acoustic story that shows off his astonishing voice. This song feels like Sunday morning, a warm cup of coffee, a feeling of peace and tranquility. The introduction of beautiful strings in the second verse adds a grand cinematic feel to the song. It is the perfect end to the album. It’s your opportunity to get lost in his story – “…nothing else matters / And that’s all that matters to me,”.
Final Thoughts
This record serves to my tastes, it’s soulful, laid-back listening. It is a very consistent project that caters to a relaxed vibe. If you are looking for an R&B album with flexing, bounce, and high energy, this isn’t it. These aren’t summer bangers and they aren’t trying to be.
Although all the tracks house incredible vocals and impressive instrumentation, some stand out more than others. I’ve been returning to my firm favourites, keeping them on replay. But sometimes, that is an indicator of a project’s longevity. There is room for certain songs to grow on you and in time you can’t believe you didn’t love them on first listen. This short release has a replay quality to it, which can’t be said for a lot of current releases.
If you need further proof, this singer-songwriter has been co-signed by industry greats. He has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Quincy Jones and opened for James Bay. If you’re seeking some high-quality soul, Samm Henshaw is the artist to get familiar with.
Rating: 8.5/10
Samm Henshaw is on Instagram and TikTok. Read more album reviews here and stream the album below.
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