Sampha Hops on XL Recordings Founder/Owner Richard Russell's "Close But Not Quite"
Featuring a classic Curtis Mayfield sample.
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Since the company’s inception in 1989, XL Recordings has helped birth the careers of artists ranging from Adele to The xx to Kaytranada. Now, XL founder and owner Richard Russell has plans to branch out as a solo recording artist. Teaming up with several other talented acts, Russell is set to deliver his debut project, Everything Is Recorded. To promote the project, Russell linked up with MistaJam’s BBC Radio 1 program to premiere his project’s lead single. Dubbed “Close But Not Quite,” the record is a collaboration with current Young Turks star Sampha. Debuted as the “Hottest Record in the World,” Russell and Sampha’s “Close But Not Quite” is the type of soulful, moving composition that wouldn’t feel out of place on the latter’s recent debut LP, Process. As Russell reveals to MistaJam, “Close But Not Quite” also features a sample of the Curtis Mayfield classic “The Makings of You.”
You can stream “Close But Not Quite” here. Last month, two new Sampha songs surfaced via the deluxe edition of Process.