Praise for Spencer. – Are U Down?
“A lovelorn narrative weaves through NYC newcomer’s first. Indie heartbreakers ‘Lonely As I Ever Was’, ‘RocStar’ and ‘Drop’ hybridise soul hooks, hip-hop flows and shimmering guitars, whose chilled, down-home charms remind of Duckworth and early dc Basehead.” – MOJO, ????
“Heartbreak and joy sweetened with deep grooves.” – NME, ????
“A captivating listen, Spencer.’s skills as a producer and songwriter have never been more evident. Period.” – DIY, ????
“A lush kind of soul that shifts and swoons, it’s a rich and promising debut.” – Loud And Quiet
“Lovesick, woozy, and somewhat optimistic, Are U Down? demonstrates an inherent musicality and dextrous ability that is likely to become magical.” – The Line Of Best Fit
Spencer., the project of New York musician and producer Spencer Miles Abraham Allen, has released his debut album, Are U Down? digitally via 4AD / Remote Control Records. Written, recorded and produced by Spencer. during the pandemic, its 11 songs blend R&B, hip-hop, funk, indie, pop, jazz and soul to create a sound that feels both analog and digital, honouring the past whilst staying firmly in the present. Spencer. has integrated neo-soul vocal fireworks, hip-hop flow and pop ambition into an album steeped in all the feels of a New York summer.
Are U Down? follows the release of the singles ‘No Direction’, ‘MyLuv’ and ‘Lonely As I Ever Was’ and features 4AD labelmate Becky and the Birds (vocals on ‘After The Show’), Luke Diamond (guitars) and Jake Aron (some additional production).
A heart-on-its-sleeve love song, the official video for single ‘No Direction‘ reunites Spencer. with director Danica Arias Kleinknecht (also behind the visuals for his 2019 single ‘Automatic’). “We shot the video in Jersey one night in the town where Danica’s from,” Spencer. explains. “We started shooting at 5pm and shot all night in the dark. I love how this one came together. It’s psychedelic without any visual effects and that’s the magic of working with Danica”
Born and raised in Rochester, NY, to chemist parents who presciently gifted him the middle name Miles (for Miles Davis), a career in music beckoned from an early age with 4-year-old Spencer. lobbying his Jamaican mother and British father for trumpet lessons in tribute to his namesake. Rochester’s rich and underappreciated creative scene nurtured his musical skills, and he won a place on a summer jazz program at the city’s prestigious Eastman School of Music in his teens. A self-taught producer who has always recorded in isolation, he started self-releasing home recordings in 2018, and eventually dropped out of college when his EP Want U Back became a word-of-mouth hit.
Now transplanted to the Brooklyn neighbourhood of Bed Stuy, itself a fertile ground for creative enterprise, Spencer. is a main player in a tightknit and supportive creative community that also boasts Clairo, Snail Mail, Claud, Advisry, Binki, Cautious Clay and Triathlon amongst its burgeoning talent.
Are U Down? is available digitally now. Physical formats will follow in 2022.
Listen / Download Spencer. – Are U Down?: https://spencer.ffm.to/
Spencer. – ‘No Direction’ (Official Video)
Stream / Download: https://spencer.ffm.
Spencer. – Are U Down?
1. byyyte
2. Lonely As I Ever Was
3. U Around?
4. MyLuv
5. After the Show (ft. Becky and the Birds)
6. Luvs Me Not
7. RocStar
8. staywmecassette
9. No Direction
10. Heart Freestyle
11. Drop
