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Photo Source: British GQ
SG Lewis (Samuel George Lewis) is a rising star in the dance/electronic music realm. He is a DJ/producer turned singer-songwriter, and is known for his disco-inspired, transcendent sound. He routinely draws on influences from pre-2000s club music and has worked with Elton John, Dua Lipa, MØ, Mabel, Tove Lo, Khalid, and many more. His most recent album “AudioLust & Higher Love” just dropped on January 27, 2023. It is packed full of powerful dance anthems, ones that are sure to tear up the clubs, or at least add a little bit of excitement to life’s dull moments.
Early Career & Progression
After remixing Jessie Ware’s “You & I (Forever)” and posting it on the internet, Sam caught the attention of Ware’s label, PMR Records. Soon after, he was signed and began releasing his own music. His first EP “Shivers” came out in 2015, with another titled “Yours” just a year later.
In 2018-2019, Sam released “Dusk”, “Dark”, and “Dawn”, a conceptual collection of EPs that symbolized the phases of a night out. He then released “Hurting” with Aluna George - a popular vocalist in dance music. Around this time, he also released “Better” with Clairo, which Clairo touted as her first step into the pop realm. The song is a fan favourite, and like his other work, encapsulates a feeling that is reminiscent of music from before the Y2K.
His first album titled “Times” was released in 2021. In an era when clubs were shut due to Covid restrictions, the album blasted to the top of the UK dance charts. This is ironic in a way, as the album was meant to be an ode to the present moment. While Covid was not worth celebrating, the album acted as a “symbol of hope”.
Critical Reception
With “Times”, Sam was praised for his talent in producing “disco-infused pop-house” - but he was described as less confident in work that moved away from that. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive, but critics felt that he cranked the autotune when he was the lead vocal, as if he was not confident in his voice. Pitchfork also praised the album’s background texture and many other things, but felt that there were times when Lewis played it too safe.
Although, critics noted that these growing pains are ones that are likely to fade with time - no pun intended.
AudioLust & Higher Love
“AudioLust & Higher Love” shows remarkable improvement in Sam’s confidence as a vocalist and producer. He sings in most of the songs on this album, and much more confidently than in the past. Lewis cites the success of Times’s “Chemicals” as the push he needed.
This album is also conceptual in nature - as Sam finds it difficult to finish a project without a self-concept, and finds it “crazy” to create an album with tracks that lack a common thread. The first half represents the “ego-driven and toxic approach to relationships”, with the latter half representing “a more romantic approach of love that is sold to us”. It draws influences from yacht rock, to create a light yet danceable aura in a blend of high-BPM, excited dance tracks and some slower, groovy ones as well. “Missing You” and “Something About Your Love” are especially upbeat, and were named among the top dance songs of 2022 by Billboard.
“AudioLust and Higher Love” was created through intense stints at rural recording studios in England, where he worked with the industry’s best through the pandemic, to come up with the album. It is still signature SG Lewis, with a pulsating, transcendent, synth-heavy sound. It is an evolution of his previous work, just more polished and diverse as there were more people involved in the creative process.
What’s Next For SG Lewis
SG Lewis has always had a distinctive sound. His career has grown steadily through the last decade, and as he advances, he is making great progress in discovering what works for him as an artist.
He is set to perform at Coachella in April, which will likely boost his reach even further on this side of the pond. Sam predicts that “nineties trance is going to make a comeback”, and if he keeps up this momentum, he could be the next big breakout hit to make that happen.
