We’ve only previously sampled Sampha as a part of his collabs with SBTRKT and, recently, with some dudes named Kanye and Drake. But after repeated listens to South London’s Sampha’s soulful and lovelorn new track Timmy’s Prayer, we are now all ears for Sampha-proper. Check it out below. The multifaceted lyrics (check out at bottom) of Timmy’s Prayer grab you by the aorta while Sampha vocally combines the best from a spectrum that runs from Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) to Marvin Gaye.  Sampha brings the melange up to date with effervescent electronic embellishments. Superb stuff. We can’t wait for more from Sampha!

Timmy’s Prayer:

“If ever you’re listening
If ever you’re listening
If ever you’re listening

If ever you’re listening
If heaven’s a prison
Then I am your prisoner
Yes, I am your prisoner
I messed up, ooh
I know now
There’s no room for me to play now
Nowhere to dig my way out

My vital organs are beating through
My ribcage opened, my heart ballooned
I… I’ve lost another one
I’m on the floor trying to dress my wounds
Address the fact it was mine to lose
I… I didn’t try enough
And when I’m left without your love
It could feel like a lifetime baby
And somewhere in the start we had it alright
Sunshine and blue skies, yes I call
But now there’s a darker blue
I’m bleeding and you don’t care
The sun sinks and you’re not there

If ever you’re listening
If heaven’s a prison
Then I am your prisoner
Yes, I am your prisoner
I messed up, ooh
I know now
There’s no room for me to play now
Nowhere to dig my way out

My brother always said I’m a dreamer, dreamer
You better watch out where this life will lead ya
And he always said she’s a keeper keeper
She’ll stay by your side when the rest will leave ya
Well I’m looking on my left side, I’m looking on my right
She’s nowhere to be seen now when I close my eyes at night

Dreaming, surely you can find me by the shore
I’m singing so blindly, can you hear me?
Can you find me?
If you find me, wanna tell you I love you so
I wanna tell you that love comes and goes
That it comes and goes
I hear the footsteps in the water and I feel the breeze
I open my eyes and no words, no words…

I wish that I listened when I was in prison
Now I’m just a visitor
I came to the gates but you turned me away
You asked me what am I waiting for
I’m waiting cause I fucked up, ooh
I got thrown out
I don’t know which way to go now
Don’t know which way is home now

If ever you’re listening
If heaven’s a prison
Then I am your prisoner
Yes, I am your prisoner
I messed up, oh
I know now
There’s no room for me to play now
Nowhere to dig my way out”