Once upon a time, in the year 2011—give or take—artists such as the Weeknd, Miguel, How to Dress Well and Frank Ocean appeared, and it was clear something was afoot. R&B was getting a new face, and while it may have had electronic features, its expression remained steadfastly human.
In 2014, there’s no shortage of artists exploring the electronic-meets-R&B terrain—dubbed “alt R&B” because, well, no one could come up with anything better. Among this ever-growing crop is London-born, Vienna-based singer-producer SOHN. He emerged in 2012, cloaked in a dark hood and swathed in secrecy, at least initially (he made a valiant attempt to conceal his real name: Christopher Taylor). His first offering was “Oscillate,” an undulating, synthy rumination of a song, which triggered a quick ascent: In 2013, SOHN journeyed to SXSW, remixed Lana Del Rey and Rhye, signed with venerable indie label 4AD, and collaborated with fast-rising crooners BANKS and Kwabs.
Last month, Taylor embarked on an international headlining tour—his shows have been regular sellouts, and his two New York gigs are no exception—and released his debut effort, Tremors. He’s also coyly hinted at producing for “some big artists” very soon. SOHN may be traversing the “alt” landscape, but it would appear that large-scale success is right on the horizon.—Kristen Zwicker