Listening to The woods, vol. 1 is like walking into a room and stumbling on a jam session between Prince, Childish Gambino and Blood Orange. This is technically an EP from newcomer Sam Austins, but at eight songs it’s stronger than some of the full-length albums released by bigger acts this year.
Sonically, this EP checks a lot boxes.
Electro pop, R&B, dance, funk — all of those genres are represented in this album. Austins is trying to get you to move — to feel something — and if you’ve seen him live, you know he backs it up with an energetic nonstop calisthenics lesson of a set. A set where he inevitably finds his way to the front row to get that much closer to the audience.
The woods, vol. 1 brings that same energy and feeling to the studio. That's a feat — it's getting harder and harder for pop acts to match the vibe of a live audience and the studio performance, so that in and of itself is a big win for Austins.
“Say what you mean” (track two) is a highlight for me. This song has driving synths and a drum machine loop that almost made me feel like I was listening to Nine Inch Nails — which might sound weird but really works well. Austins' voice is chameleon-like on this EP, and in this song drifts between falsetto and sensual swoon.
“A baby girl named Heaven” (track three) keeps the synth/drum machine feel going and is very much reminiscent of the current pop landscape. This song could easily be on Top 40 radio stations, and I could imagine it being played before a Charli XCX show to get the party started.
“Hot like you” (track four) channels Childish Gambino and Prince, and proves Austins isn’t afraid to get funky. It’s a toss-up between this track and “Say what you mean” for my favorite song. But both are extremely different from one another, and that's one of Austins' strong suits on this EP. As I mentioned, Austins' ability to be a chameleon raises the bar and really kept me interested throughout. I didn’t know where I was going to end up with each track, and that kept my ears engaged.
If Sam Austins keeps up the vibe that this EP establishes, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we see him on big stages soon. The quality is here, the sound is fresh and not too radical. Everything points to Austins having a bright future in the music business.
As a bonus, you’ll be able to catch Sam Austins live at Hinterland this August. He'll be opening day three of the festival.
