We Speak Music
Sam Segurado Shares New Single ‘Phoenix’
Irish-Portuguese solo artist Sam Segurado releases his brand-new single ‘Phoenix’ showcasing the foundation of his love for music and unmatched talent for fusing captivating instruments with profound lyricism.
‘Phoenix’ sees Sam Segurado’s blend of alternative-indie-folk on this acoustic offering. Interplaying guitar and piano with his delicate vocal delivery atop a lush synthscape, its lyrics evoke the line Segurado so often treads between romance and sorrow.
“Draw you in the sand before you wash away”. This chorus line to ‘Phoenix’ came to Sam Segurado one night in a dream, and he immediately woke up in that early morning, wrote it down, and began to play it gently. The theme of the track is one of loss, whether about a relationship cut short, or a life taken too soon. Listeners will resonate with this profound theme, one which touches so many of us after the shared experiences of pandemic and war.
Sam Segurado began recording his sophomore album, The Remainder, in 2018 with Stephen Lovatt in Segurado’s childhood home in Portugal. They recorded ‘Phoenix’ in one take, where you can hear the crickets and even an airplane passing overhead in the second verse. One of his childhood best friends, Christina Campbell, later added gorgeous backing vocals in her Scottish lilt. Sam Segurado finished the song with producer Shane Becker, who encouraged him to make this track a stand-alone single.
Drawing on his own personal struggles and experiences, Sam Segurado explores tales of difficult times. The forthcoming album evokes a superhero moniker, the heroism of survival. The album’s message only increased in significance through its own rocky recording, turbulence directly exposed to him, and the war in Europe, in turn, the record earning its title, The Remainder.
Speaking about the track, Sam Segurado explains, “It’s about loss. Maybe the end of a relationship, or maybe someone who is gone too soon. That’s part of why I decided to release it on Jeff Buckley’s birthday. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fact that he left so young, but his influence on my music will never die.”
London-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Waz-u returns with his second album, Preludes: Dusk Psalms, set for release on 16 May 2025 via independent label Biodiversity. The 15-track record further refines the artistic depth of his debut, blending electronic textures and classical compositional techniques in an intricate, immersive listening experience.
Ahead of the album release, Waz-u is dropping an exclusive vocal version of ‘Vermillion: G Major’ from the album, accompanied by its original instrumental version. ‘Vermillion’ with Lilyg will be released on 18 April 2025, evoking intimate indie-folk and pop and follows the release of a vocal version of ‘Lament’ with Tom Norrington. ‘The singles are a way to give a voice to the atmosphere of the record and to lyrically encapsulate some of the themes explored,’ explains Waz-u. ‘Lily and Tom are good friends of mine and have both been listening to early iterations of these preludes – it felt right to involve them directly on this record.’
‘Preludes: Dusk Psalms’ marks a new branch of Waz-u’s emerging sound, guided by the duality of tradition and innovation. Combining his musical roots in early ‘90s dub techno and classical music, the album weaves carefully layered synthesizers and electronics to evoke the ambience of sacred music — from the gentle timbres of a choir or an organ to the quiet, open, and reverberating spaces of a church. Also featured throughout the album is experimental musician G9 LUV, who creates textures and drones by bowing his bass guitar, resulting in cello-like sounds. The release follows Waz-u’s 2024 debut LP, Prayer For Dawn, which merged dub, techno, and electronica in an exploration of the ritualistic traditions associated with both organized religion and dance.
Bringing the album’s themes to life, Waz-u will celebrate the release of Preludes: Dusk Psalms with a special performance at Our Holy Redeemer in Clerkenwell, London on 14 May 2025. Set against the church’s resonant acoustics, the event will feature live performance arrangements, including a choir, with further details to be announced soon.
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