We Are Parable Presents The Art of the Black Visual Album: Sampha - Process

In the age of disposable, consumable digital content, the visual album - the concept of a musician releasing a short film to provide a deeper context to their creative approach stands out as a cultural and creative phenomenon.

We've teamed up with Rife, We Are Parable and East Bristol Cinema at Easton Community Centre for a unique screening of Process - the visual album from UK award-winning artist, Sampha directed by acclaimed video artist Kahlil Joseph Beyonce: Lemonade,Kendrick Lamar: good Kid, m.A.A.d city).

It’s harder to classify why visual albums exists – are they simply a collection of music videos stitched together, or glorified concert films? A visual album should provide an integrated experience for the viewer/listener, so much so that the visual and audio become intertwined, making it difficult to separate the two. One of the most successful visual albums of all time is Prince’s Oscar winning “Purple Rain” (1984), in which viewers follow the protagonist on his journey to becoming an artist, with the songs from the album providing the perfect backdrop to the story.

A hazy and dreamlike patchwork portrait of his life, Process highlights Sampha's unique brand of minimalist R&B and neo-soul whilst taking us on a journey from the streets of London to Sierra Leone - exploring belonging, love and grief with surreal moments of spirituality, revelation and insight.

This season has been curated by content creators from Rife, an online magazine that support’s young people to have their voices heard. Screening as part of BFI Musicals! The Greatest Show on Screen, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery, BFI Film Audience Network and ICO. bfimusicals.co.uk

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