Introducing Melbourne musician Sam Phay and his second single, Fool

If you're well familiar with the somewhat smaller names of the Australian electronic scene, there's a slight chance you might've already come across rising Melbourne musician Sam Phay. If you're yet to make yourself acquainted with the up-and-comers, his debut single, last year's Trace, was one quick to turn heads and he's made a guest appearance on a record or two as well, most notably Kuren's debut Melting Conceptually and James Crooks' debut EP, Blame My Soul. His newest and first for 2019 is called Fool, and it really picks up where Trace left off, taking this swooning, R&B-leaning vocal melody comparable to names like James Blake and layering it over a rather minimalist production, which keeps relatively subdued thanks to its swirling melodies, soft keys and gentle percussive pulse. It's definitely a single on the more subtle side of electronica, focusing on intricacy, detail and telling a story - something he admits he learnt from Father John Misty. "It really made me think about how I write, and that it is so often through my own eyes. But, so many of my stories had an entire other person experiencing those things with me," he says on how FJM's The Songwriter inspired the creation of Fool andf his approach to music since. "I wanted to write the other side of the story."

There's plenty more yet to come from the musician in 2019, so before it all goes down, better get to know Sam Phay and his soothing new single below:

Tell us about yourself?

Hey! I’m Sam and I’m a 25-year-old songwriter/producer from Melbourne, Victoria.

What’s the vibe music-wise?

I like to think that my music is a swirl of brooding, electronic ballads about the complexities of relationships. At least for now!

What are your production and writing processes like?

I wish I knew for sure because every-time is different, but I do know that a lot of the good stuff comes from trying something new and stepping out of the little box I live in the rest of the time. Sometimes it starts with the beat or what I sometimes call a production hole where I’m just throwing a bunch of ideas at a loop of music until it inspires something. Other times, it’s a lyric or a title that gets me started and the production comes later.

Can you tell us about your latest single, Fool?

Fool was inspired by a Father John Misty song from his last record, called The Songwriter. It made me think about the different perspectives of the same relationship and got me thinking from another point of view. I like to think that if my last single Trace is about finding your way back to someone, then Fool is about the person who is waiting for them to come home.

Any shows coming up?

I’ll be doing a run of shows supporting Machine Age in April across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

What does 2019 have in store for you?

I’ll be releasing my debut EP later in the year which is exciting, as well as some features and collabs that I’m really proud of!

Where can we find more of your music?

Spotify and Apple Music!

Follow Sam Phay: FACEBOOK