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The Charleston, South Carolina artist Contour’s body of work is evidence of a restless curiosity that culminates on his latest album and debut for Mexican Summer, Take Off from Mercy. Starting off as a beatmaker, Khari’s vision has broadened over releases like Onwards (2022, Touching Bass), Love Suite (2021, Good Question) and Weight (self-released/Purple Tape Pedigree, 2021), spanning from noirish, sample-driven R&B to covers of Strawberry Switchblade. Take Off from Mercy eschews samples in favor of guitar-driven songwriting, positing a singular take on the blues, Tropicalia, hip hop, post-punk and indie rock, establishing Lucas as an exemplary lyricist and broad collaborator, working with the likes of Saul Williams, Mndsgn and his co-producer, Omari Jazz.
Following the pandemic, Lucas toured relentlessly, recently opening a US run for Erika de Casier and appearing at Pitchfork Festival (Chicago) and Le Guess Who? Beyond his prolific solo output, recent collaborations include Black Decelerant, an ambient duo with the aforementioned Omari Jazz who just released their self-titled debut on RVNG Intl. Lucas also collaborates with the operatic baritone singer Davóne Tines as part of a band called THE TRUTH on ROBESOИ, a performance released by the venerable Nonesuch Records.
Contour is a key member of a distinct cohort of young artists weaving the traditions of Black music into thoroughly modern, avant-garde songcraft. Within his work, genres and disciplines collide. Lucas’s radio show for Dublab, Footprints in the Dark, took stock of the deep discographies of foundational figures like Gilberto Gil and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Meanwhile, Lucas has organized readings with the likes of Harmony Holiday and screened films from Black Audio Film Collective director John Akomfrah, and completed artist residencies with NTS Radio and Brooklyn’s Pioneer Works.
Within all this activity, Lucas’s sound and voice are immediately recognizable, his flow and declarative honesty heavily influenced by rap. Lucas’s recent live shows with the likes of Billy Woods and Bilal featured him roving the stage singing and rapping over samples before sitting at the piano for downcast, Bill Withers-style ballads. Take Off from Mercy is a document of hard-earned lessons learned while on the move. Omari and Khari worked on the record in Charleston, Portland, NYC, London, Paris, Georgia, LA and Houston, feeding into the album’s themes of transformation through migration. Lucas will follow the fall release of Take Off from Mercy with expanded live tours through the US, UK and Europe in fall 2024. As this flurry of activity suggests, there will inevitably be more records, shows, tours, readings and screenings in the near future. The urgency of Contour’s vision is palpable in this myriad of pursuits.