Hometown: Seattle, WA • Age: 25 • Follow: Twitter // Soundcloud

When I write about Sángo, the 25 year-old former graphic design student from Seattle, I start using words like global, collaborative, dynamic and soulful. While those descriptors are relevant and true, Sángo would say he is just a guy creating and making what he claims to be regular, real beats. I mean, sure. One could take a quick glance at his Spotify page, barely listen to Middle of Things, Beautiful Wife through some headphones they got for free on their last flight and dub him as a regular Hip-Hop/R&B producer. However, that’d be foolish and shortsighted. If you dig a little deeper into what he stands for & listen with a critical ear, you’ll see there is a passionate and purposeful approach to all of his work. 

Like so many other people, I heard Sángo first on Soundcloud, a platform that lends itself perfectly with the spirit of community and sharing that Sángo and his musical family Soulection have embodied since their foundation. I can't introduce Sángo without at least a mention of Soulection because the synergy between the two is just too strong. A label community with core values of sharing culture and growing together met a young man whose sole purpose is to inspire positive change through music. That relationship has fostered some really great work for us all to enjoy. 

For starters, I’d suggest taking a look at Sángo's SoundCloud page. The guy certainly knows how to make a proper remix. For a more formal look at his catalogue, I'd recommend taking an hour or so to enjoy North - his 2013 album. That project was the first taste I got of Sángo and I still go back to it when I get the itch. Mix in some Brazilian funk from Da Rochina 3 and check out his live sets online and you'll start to see the huge range Sángo offers as an artist. In 2016, he dropped Hours Spent Loving You - a project with Xavier Omar that successfully walks his signature thin line between genres. Then - there's his latest release - Dance for Blessings and his current tour with Chicago's own Monte Booker to get excited about too. Simply put - there's a lot to discover with Sángo so dive in when you have a chance. 

Sango is the son of two former musicians with a major respect for understanding how to listen to music and how to consume art. He has a way of casually breaking down sounds from all over the world (especially, Brazil) and crafting them into something awesome and new. That shows the depth at which he listens to other work and his willingness to draw influences from everywhere. Sango understands that growth can only happen when you allow yourself to truly listen and take in your surroundings. Our democracy is designed to welcome change but far too often we find ourselves reverting back to what is comfortable instead of pushing ourselves to be vulnerable to new things. Through his music Sango shows us the importance of allowing other perspectives into our lives and embracing positive change when it comes around. 

While he may already be an established name in smaller music circles, Sango just feels like an artist who can really have a big global impact. Keep an eye out for new music throughout the year and catch Sango in a city near you with Monte Booker. Hopefully you caught the Chicago show last week at the Metro! If you listen well, it shouldn’t take too long to see that he's not just a regular beat maker at all.