Samuel Proffitt has released his song “You [In Flames Reprise]," an evocatively dark track that samples a Russian orthodox choir, and features Crywolf. Using deep, haunting vocals atop lush, resonating soundscapes, the track cuts down into your soul with its emotive ambience.
“With the nights growing longer and the cold more bitter, I wanted to confront the listener with a depiction of my mental and emotional state. It’s about the overwhelming strain of inner turmoil coalescing with the literal and figurative darkness engendered by winter—through the song’s cold and despondent, yet immersive character. Instead of working with another artist for the vocals, I decided to revisit the most heart-rending piece from my first EP, Blue Notebook No. 10, ‘In Flames’. Each time I listen to ‘In Flames’, it’s as if I’m hearing Justin’s (Crywolf) performance for the first time. Due to its staying power with me, I wanted to transpose the message into a new context, in regard both to intentionality and temporality,” Proffitt explains.
Proffitt is in his third year of his PhD at Brown University where he studies Russian avant-garde film, photography and contemporary art. A man of many talents, he’s also a visiting lecturer/ researcher at the MFA (Houston), working on Russian/Soviet nonconformist photography, as well as a translator for a contemporary art museum in Russia.
Growing up in Houston Texas, he was introduced to a wide variety of genres ranging from screamo and punk to indie, folk, and jazz. With a deep fondness for poetry and philosophy, he crafts highly distinctive music that communicates his thoughts in a profound way. His forthcoming EP, Good Death, explores memory, death, trauma, and fragmentation of self.
Proffitt is constantly challenging genres. “You [In Flames Reprise]” ft. Crywolf. is a great example of pushing the barriers of sound, to construct a musical triumph. Take a listen now.
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