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Music

Octo Champ Channels His Religious Upbringing in New Track, "Alleluia"

Off the Glasgow-based producer's new EP for London label Let's Go Swimming.
Artwork courtesy of the label

Midway through Octo Champ's new single "Alleluia," a voice intones: "You may be seated in the presence of God." If it weren't already clear from the insistent repetition of the titular praise, the sermonizing of that moment makes it clear that the Glasgow-based producer is taking us to church with his latest track, drawn from his Not Quite Here Yet EP for fledgling London-based label and party crew Let's Go Swimming.

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"Alleluia" channels the patchwork-house sound of something like Romare through a soul-house lens. Bolstered by a sultry bassline, thick layers of percussion, and quirky synths, its vocal samples sweep listeners into a joyful whirlwind of worship à la the iconic concert scene from Sister Act 2.

Over email, Octo Champ tells THUMP that the track was a way of connecting to his upbringing. "Moving back to Scotland in 2016 sparked a bit of a personal exploration of my childhood experiences growing up in a conservative evangelical Christian home, something I've often avoided as a creative influence" he says. "Putting 'Alleluia' together was I think part of that exploration: all these exhortations and praise, the hype and affectation and musical swells, that was my upbringing, my introduction to music as an emotional medium."

Listen to "Alleluia" below. Octo Champ's Not Quite Here Yet EP is out now. To celebrate the release, he'll be joining the LGS crew at their next party on March 18 at the Waiting Room.

Midway through Octo Champ's new single "Alleluia," a voice intones: "You may be seated in the presence of God." If it weren't already clear from the insistent repetition of the titular praise, the sermonizing of that moment makes it clear that the Glasgow-based producer is taking us to church with his latest track, drawn from his Not Quite Here Yet EP for fledgling London-based label and party crew Let's Go Swimming.

"Alleluia" channels the patchwork-house sound of something like Romare through a soul-house lens. Bolstered by a sultry bassline, thick layers of percussion, and quirky synths, its vocal samples sweep listeners into a joyful whirlwind of worship à la the iconic concert scene from Sister Act 2.

Over email, Octo Champ tells THUMP that the track was a way of connecting to his upbringing. "Moving back to Scotland in 2016 sparked a bit of a personal exploration of my childhood experiences growing up in a conservative evangelical Christian home, something I've often avoided as a creative influence" he says. "Putting 'Alleluia' together was I think part of that exploration: all these exhortations and praise, the hype and affectation and musical swells, that was my upbringing, my introduction to music as an emotional medium."

Listen to "Alleluia" below. Octo Champ's Not Quite Here Yet EP is out now. To celebrate the release, he'll be joining the LGS crew at their next party on March 18 at the Waiting Room.