music
Will Samson is dead. These were the words that echoed for six hours during an ayahuasca ceremony in April 2024. After many years of research and reflection, Will Samson took part in this tradition practised by the peoples of the Amazon for hundreds of years. Far from the Western romanticisation of this practice, for the British man – with roots in Chile and West Bengal, and a childhood spent in Australia – this experience was quite sombre and terrifying. Amidst visions, he recalls conversations with his late father, childhood memories and the moment he is taken to his own funeral. With albums released on the Wichita Recordings and 12k labels and concerts alongside Ólafur Arnalds, Kurt Vile and Efterklang, Samson is dedicated to exploring the spaces between folk and electronic music. His music has an almost spiritual side, previously evident on Active Imagination (2022). This spirituality takes on a new dimension following the psychedelic ritual he underwent.
The process of processing and incorporating his experiences spanned a year and a half. Isolated in a village in the Alentejo, Samson wrote and recorded a new album, drawing inspiration from the organic sounds of branches, rocks, paintbrushes and glass cups. The tape machines, which have been a constant companion for several years, return to bridge the gap between the acoustic and the electronic. The lyrics, once enigmatic, now sing of a raw and vulnerable vision of himself. And so Sings Again (2026) is born, an album released on 22 May and presented outdoors, in the courtyard, at a concert featuring visuals created by students on the Master’s in Media Arts at the University of Minho.
supported by portuguese republic – culture, youth and sports / general direction of the arts. portuguese contemporary art network (rpac). rtcp – network of portuguese theaters and cinemas.
