Upon teaming up with DJ B-Roc and Mr. JPatt, the powerhouse duo behind The Knocks, Samuel Hindes has been deemed, “a male Lily Allen” by the circles of producers and songwriters eager to sign him. Like his London-based counterpart, Samuel is the distinct product of his urban environment, pulling from a broad spectrum of musical genres to create a sound all his own. Born and raised in downtown Manhattan, Samuel was surrounded by musical influences from an early age; his mother, Linda Langford, was one-half of seventies feminist folk group, Jade and Sarsaparilla and long time co-worker and friend of I.R.S owner Ian Copeland. Samuel’s father is the former owner of an avant-garde dance studio in Santa Fe and was a student of experimental composer, John Cage. His grandfather, Manny Albam, was a noted jazz arranger and friend of Dizzy Gillespie. A passion for music is part of the family bedrock and Samuel’s ability to write and perform compelling dance tunes for the masses is a natural extension of his musical heritage. While Samuel is constantly finding new music to inspire him, his favorite artists span from American Football’s Mike Kinsella to Bruce Springsteen to the Thai Elephant Orchestra, which is why his collaboration with equally eclectic New York City producer, DJ B-Roc, was a logical progression in his career. The two met at a time when both were eager to expand their musical endeavors. Samuel was writing and editing his own music, producing lo-fi songs reminiscent of his favored indie-pop musicians. He had long been aware of B-Roc’s diverse collaborations with major artists such as Sean Kingston, Cam’ron and Hi-Tek. The pair’s opposing backgrounds enabled them to meld styles and create music that isn’t genre-specific and appeals to a generation that favors new sounds and unlikely collaborations. “Say Goodbye,” Samuel’s new single with The Knocks, features Wade from New York City-based band, The Virgins. The song is a seamless addition to any club’s play list and yet the lyrics, “eleven o’clock, the bar was crowded/I saw you/belle of the ball, you were breaking my heart,” are equally at home on the ipods of the young and brokenhearted. For his upcoming projects, Samuel is joining forces with rappers, Team Facelift, as well as writing lyrics with and for Neon Hitch, another Knocks project by way of London.

Band Members

Samuel, The Knocks

Website

www.heavyrocmusic.blogspot.com