Album : “Fake Flowers Last Forever: Sam Sellers’ Journey Through Memory, Healing, and Sound”

Remembering how to dream. Remembering how to mourn. Laying to rest that which no longer serves us. Carrying forward that which we cherish in memoriam. Leading with love, moving beyond fear, approaching embodiment of our values… “Fake Flowers Last Forever” is the new album from revered NYC MC/poet/musician Sam Sellers (his first since shedding his former nom de plume). The album is a confrontation of the organic vs. the synthetic, thematically and musically, examining the turmoil of intersecting crises environmental, political, social and personal through musical mantras, generational healing and pleasure tuning.

Sellers began writing the record in March 2020 while on an artist residency in Cassis, France. The extremes of the following few years bore the fruit of these tunes, alongside dear musical comrades in the studio. Renowned keyboardist/synth designer J3PO (Marcus Miller, Herbie Hancock) handles production on half the tracks. Also featured are NYC legends PhaseOne (MC), singer J. Hoard (Brasstracks, Endea Owens), and rising chanteur Miranda Joan (The Killers). The guests are rounded out by the incredible A. Billi Free (Mello Music Group, Tokyo Dawn), and Sellers’ Say Word Entertainment rostermates The Grand Affair, who also produce a track. The album also features production from jazz drummer manu, New Jersey’s A Cee, and multi-instrumentalist Phinestro, with additional musical contributions from Simon Dufour (sax), Marseillais legend Cyril Benhamou (flute), and Max Castrillo, a former student of Sellers’ and collaborator. Cover art is by Emily Hoerdmann, who sampled totems Sellers inherited from his maternal grandmother.

Tracklist

1. Fake Flowers
Written and performed by Sam Sellers. Produced by Blaize Warham. Additional saxophone written and performed by Simon Dufour.

2. Like Water feat. A. Billi Free
Written and performed by Sam Sellers and A. Billi Free. Produced by Phinestro.

3. The Labyrinth feat. Phase One
Written and performed by Sam Sellers and PhaseOne. Produced by J3PO.

4. Walk Into The Sun feat. J. Hoard
Written and performed by Sam Sellers and J. Hoard. Produced by J3PO.

5. Re:Generations
Written and performed by Sam Sellers. Produced by manu and edmondo.

6. Now’s The Time feat. The Grand Affair
Written and performed by Sam Sellers and The Grand Affair. Produced by J3PO. Additional flute by Cyril Benhamou.

7. Light Up feat. Miranda Joan
Written and performed by Sam Sellers and Miranda Joan. Produced by J3PO.

8. One Year One Month One Day
Written and performed by Sam Sellers. Produced by Too Deep of The Grand Affair.

9. Bouquets
Written and performed by Sam Sellers. Produced by A Cee. Additional bass by Max Castrillo. Cuts by Sam Sellers.