If you’re looking for a silky smooth but incredibly funk driven piece of music that has a divine vocal attached to it as well as a lyrical prowess that is unmatched in the R&B genre then it’s time to dive head first into Sam Wills as he marks his return in style. Utilising old school synths like the Juno-60 and drum samples he’s managed to created a gloriously hyped up single in Undercover.
“Undercover started with the bassline, a few months before starting work on the album,” Sam Wills begins to explain to us. “Phairo and I built a groove around it and then I sat with it for many weeks before committing to writing the melody and lyrics, as I wanted something that was going to do the beat justice, which was quite daunting! I finally faced up to it during a month-long stint in the studio that Phairo and I spent between my small setup in Hastings and the studio at the bottom of his garden in west London.“
Thematically the track is about a clandestine casual affair, an unusual subject matter but the smooth tones of Wills’ vocals make those lyrics come to life, the lust and desire that comes from this situation mixed with the sensual nature of that bassline which elevates the piece to the next level. It’s like someone got The Weeknd’s ability to create steamy pieces of R&B with Frank Ocean’s lyrical prowess and Chet Faker’s atmospheric craftsmanship and combined them all together. It’s utterly glorious.