Coffee House Sessions Thursdays: AMiR

In a black pea coat and skinnies paired with white Nike Air Max, AMiR seemed like a normal lad dressed appropriately for the biting chill of the Midlands’ Northampton, and now Coventry. It’s only the checkered guitar strap that is any precursor to the Ed Sheeran vibes we’ll witness when he starts strumming, and finally singing.

After a short and sweet introduction AMiR began the set with his most recent track, ‘Drench Me With Your Lust’. The studio recording is fairly popular on Spotify, but its sentiment differs from that of the stripped-down version we witness in the confines of Curiositea. This rendition, with its lack of a steady bass line peppered with funk (that makes the original remix-worthy) gave it something, which I couldn’t put my finger on. For just a brief moment of the chorus, I hear a part of Bruno Mars’ ‘Grenade’ in AMiR’s melody – though of course Mars’ ode to a tough lover is only like ‘Drench Me With Your Lust’ in this respect. But with a voice like the ‘Grenade’ singer himself, this conspicuous section is easy to miss, especially when trying to place this eerie familiarity within a spectrum which also comprises the likes of Michael Jackson, The Weeknd and Stevie Wonder. AMiR makes clear he has derived inspiration from the American artist when paired with the fact that he mashes up a cover of the song on YouTube with ‘Treasure’ rather than belting the melodic bridge as he did for us. 

Though not aiming to be, the artist’s style is reticent and yet universal to the audience at which his music is geared – if there is one

While his lyrics are ridden with a sort of passive angst – the power in his voice conclusively tells you there’s a story behind each, most probably romantic – his covers provide a solid contrast in both vocal arrangement and genre. A commendable choice, Craig David’s ‘Walking Away’ only served to complement AMiR’s lilting tones, and was followed by a cover of ‘Sun Comes Up’, changed up lyrically by AMiR to add an individual touch, yet appealing to all in the room purely for its familiarity. A gradually emptying room after students finished with their refreshments created an intimacy which posed no detriment to the success of the session. 

While I paralleled the name of the setlist’s penultimate song with Ed Sheeran’s ‘You Need Me Man I Don’t Need You’, ‘If You Don’t, I Do’ bore a resemblance in solely its title; it was much more a serenade than the former track, which employs the voice of a scorned, and scornful, artist-in-the-making. No doubt new singer/songwriters on the scene like AMiR, and like Sheeran before, may be subject to several trials and tribulations but whether it carries into their lyrics is another question.

Though not aiming to be, the artist’s style is reticent and yet universal to the audience at which his music is geared – if there is one. It was certainly ironic, then, that AMiR’s chose to close with a rendition of the latter song, and though it may not immediately appear the obvious choice for a closing item, it seemed too perfect a chance to seamlessly showcase musical aptitude, influences and vocal ability. A classic mixed and performed by Sheeran in countless forms and locations, this is something I could only dream to witness live in a university coffee-house – rapping atop a looped five-chord acoustic sequence is not unique, but does have its limits when it comes to quality and skill. AMiR’s cover expressed less antipathy than in the original, but as a personal favourite it was nonetheless satisfying to be able to recite Sheeran’s words without pause for five minutes straight. This sound choice prompted me to congratulate AMiR on the success of his tour instead of quietly leaving the venue like I normally would. His personable demeanour and boyish disposition has won me over, and so it should you – so this one’s to watch.