NEW ARTIST FIND: SAMPSON

As I walked outside today, I was taken back by the sheer heat given from the sun at high noon. It must still be summer here in Los Angeles, home base of We Are: The Guard and yours truly. “Shake The Fire” is a small little reminder from debuting artist Sampson that the heat is still on in the musical world, even from our neighbors from the north.

SAMPSON - SHAKE THE FIRE

Upon first listen, she doesn't sound like a rookie with a sparse discography consisting of her debut song “Shake The Fire,” but this brand-new Canadian songstress is assuredly a newbie to the industry. Perhaps, it is a true indicator of her already budding musical prowess, or the pristine works of production team of Liam Jaeger and Jacqueline Andrea Neville. Indeed, “Shake The Fire” sounds unmistakably like a Lana Del Rey or even a Purity Ring jam, but somehow doesn't reek of pretentiousness. Solely with electronically-formulated synthesizers, the earthy vocals become more poignant as the track moseys along.

According to Sampson, “Shake The Fire” is about her grandfather, a big, supportive force in her life that made her latch on to her passion of music. It is about mortality, grief, and the time. Within the depths of darkness, sprouts little glimmers of hope, painting a picture of the human condition. “I wrote “Shake The Fire” while realizing that we never really have full control of anything. Especially not time”.

“Shake The Fire” is a painful, honest, and just a beautifully-haunting composition that you would expect from a seasoned veteran. If her subsequent tracks sound even close to her debut, you might have the next incarnation of Cat Power knocking at your doorstep. Be sure to open it.