News Joel Compass

: Joel Compass
Based: London
Listen: Soundcloud.com/joel-compass
Similar to: Nothing will make you as jealous as hearing this guy’s ability to sing.

The trend for melancholic and introspective R&B has been one of the defining musical themes of the decade so far. At the heart of any music in this style has to be sincerity and real emotion. It’s incredibly easy for music that falls within any current vogue sound to sound contrived and unnatural. This is not something that could ever be said about the music of 19-year-old Londoner Joel Compass. On his stirring debut track ‘Back To Me’ there’s a palpable sense of emotion and yearning, the realisation that he’s compelled to make this music as his only form of release.

Compass is newly signed to esteemed London based label Black Butter who also launched the career of Rudimental amongst others. It’s easy to see the potential that they’ve spotted in Compass. Musically ‘Back To Me’ is incredibly sparse, built around intermittent beats and a ghostly-echoed synth swirl. It provides an understated backing for Compass’ stunning tremulous vocal. His ululating voice is tender and heartfelt as he delivers his pleading cry, “I need the night to bring you back to me.” By the end, he’s lost in ecstatic rapture, overcome by desire as his vocals are layered on top of each other before climaxing in an exultant falsetto.



‘Back To Me’ is a piece of stirring songwriting that signifies the emergence of a hugely promising new talent.