Sammus - “1080p” (feat. Jean Grae)

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 5

Pairs Well With…Jean Grae, Little Simz, Noname

I got to catch a Sammus set on her last run through SXSW and it was one of the most affirming sets of the festival for me, a highly personable performer that emits an equal sense of precise talent and comforting vibes in her music. A little jazzy, a little future-focused, the Ithaca-based rapper’s release was 2016’s Pieces In Space, but it’s not for nothing these past couple years as she’s fresh off earning a PhD at Cornell (!!), though seeing a spot on the SXSW 2020 roster has hopes up for some new music this year from the impressive and thoughtful artist once we rise out of quarantine together. (Kevin McStravick)

2018 Review: Sammus raps in such a matter-of-fact tone that her songs feel like a conversation. The upstate New York artist uses a wordy, studied approach to tell her stories, modulating for emphasis but otherwise keeping a low, confident-cool timbre to open up with personal reflections. Often looped into nerdcore classifications - Sammus does weave in recently nostalgic and modern pop culture references into her songs - 2016 full-length Pieces In Space journeys well beyond those expectations both lyrically and musically. Her beats are minimal, matching her vocal seamlessly instead of overpowering, slices of soul, R&B and electro pop forming an often ambient air. The end result is so natural it seems effortless - Sammus has been recording for almost a decade and her catalog is a clear path of progression, one that will hopefully yield an upcoming release come SXSW 2018.