4AD home

Spencer. - Are U Down?
Spencer.: 'Are U Down?'
10th September 2021

Buy now from the 4AD Store

Spencer. - Are U Down?

Born and raised in Rochester, NY, to chemist parents who presciently gifted him the middle name Miles (for Miles Davis), a career in music beckoned from an early age with 4-year-old Spencer. lobbying his Jamaican mother and British father for trumpet lessons in tribute to his namesake.  Rochester’s rich and underappreciated creative scene nurtured his musical skills, and he won a place on a summer jazz programme at the city’s prestigious Eastman School of Music in his teens.  A self-taught producer who has always recorded in isolation, he started self-releasing home recordings in 2018, and eventually dropped out of college when his EP Want U Back became a word-of-mouth hit.

Now transplanted to the Brooklyn neighbourhood of Bed Stuy, itself a fertile ground for creative enterprise, Spencer. is a main player in a tightknit and supportive creative community that also boasts Clairo, Snail Mail, Claud, Advisry, Binki, Cautious Clay and Triathlon amongst its burgeoning talent.

Written and recorded during the pandemic, Are U Down? is about the struggle of a relationship and a sense of longing cuts through its 11 tracks.  Featuring 4AD labelmate Becky and the Birds (vocals on ‘After The Show’), Luke Diamond (guitars) and Jake Aron (some additional production), Spencer. has integrated neo-soul vocal fireworks, hip-hop flow and pop ambition into an album steeped in all the feels of a New York summer.

Are U Down? was released digitally on 10th September 2021.  Vinyl available 6th May 2022.