(PR) Sam Sparro orbits into our stratosphere like a messenger from the future sent to hold off the end of summer blues with one last wild party. As he says in the lead track "S.A.M.S.P.A.R.R.O." of the EP Black & Gold, out August 21 on Modus Vivendi Music, he has a lot to say and a lot to do.In "S.A.M.S.P.A.R.R.O.," Sam blasts through the sound barrier on an incessant meladrone beat, brandishing a vocoder to synthesize his voice, shrouding the purity of his lush, soulful instrument to minimize the impact upon ears dulled by lesser pop singers. He's the dance scene shepherd preparing to lead us to sounds and places we long to go.
And so the road is paved in Black & Gold. The journey is ours for the taking, led by the cunning musicologist out to show us a good time. Through six brisk tracks, Sam thrusts into the limelight sounds and textures at once foreign and familiar - '70s soul grooves, '80s freestyle beats, '90s garage - cornerstones from the heydays of youth when idealism ruled and our personal soundtracks reflected the upward trajectory of our lives. Like a cheeky historian, Sam culls the archives of forgotten record bins and coaxes his findings in unexpected ways - creating an infectious musical soundscape loaded with sex appeal. And soon we are enraptured, knowing full well how his heart beats.