Today I’m reminded of just how much I miss R&B. Meet Joel Compass, a mysterious singer/songwriter out of Brixton in South London. As with most R&B newcomers, Joel plays on his mystique, urging you to focus on his beautiful falsetto, surrounded by some fantastic production. The young British crooner made his debut with the beautifully eerie “Back to Me,” already fielding comparisons to R&B legends like Maxwell, Prince, D’Angelo and more. So far, the recurring theme of love lost is working for him. Just last night, Joel’s second single, “Fucked Up,” premiered on BBC’s Radio 1 with Zane Lowe in the UK. The artist awakens the morning after spending the night with a woman who’s not his lover, and — well, just listen below.
Can’t wait to see the visual treatment that “Fucked Up” gets, especially after seeing the cinematic video (which could double as a scene from FX’s American Horror Story) for “Back to Me”.
Joel Compass’ Astronaut project is set to be released via Black Butter Records sometime this year.