When Spencer. dropped out of college, he gave himself a year to get his career off the ground. “My parents were understandably upset when I left school,” he says, “but I promised them I’d go back if things didn’t work out.” Less than twelve months later, he’d racked up millions of streams on Spotify, garnered glowing reviews on both sides of the Atlantic, and signed a record deal with 4AD.
Hailed by Fader for his “sweet and soulful” songwriting and “warm-toned” voice and by Pigeons & Planes as an “old soul with a timeless sound”, Spencer. makes the kind of music that defies easy categorization. Take a listen to the twenty-year-old’s intoxicating new single, 'Automatic', and you’ll hear the full depth and breadth of his range: there’s R&B in his velvety vocals, hip-hop in his off-kilter beats, funk in his effervescent basslines, and moody indie rock in his reverb-soaked guitar. His influences are eclectic to match, with everyone from Miles Davis to Thundercat getting a nod, and he writes, records, and produces nearly every element of his music himself. The result is a bold, emotionally riveting sound, one that’s steeped equally in alternative and pop, organic and digital, past and present.
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 programme 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 tight-knit and supportive creative community that also boasts Clairo, Snail Mail, Claud, Advisry, Binki, Cautious Clay, and Triathlon amongst its burgeoning talent.
Written and recorded during the pandemic, Are U Down? is about the struggle of a relationship and a sense of longing cuts through its 11 tracks. Featuring 4AD labelmate Becky and the Birds (vocals on ‘After The Show’), Luke Diamond (guitars) and Jake Aron (some additional production), 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.
