Coming off of the meteoric rise of his 2024 single “Seasons,” Sam Austins has returned with his new EP The Woods, Vol. 1. The LA-based singer-songwriter released the eight-track project via Atlantic Records, while he continues to showcase his funky alt-pop production with a lofi vocal delivery.
The project begins with a bit of a shaky start on “Smoke Break.” The track features a bouncy drum pattern that is mixed seamlessly with warm ambient synths that create a danceable atmosphere for Austins to fill.
Despite the bouncy production, Austin’s vocals never seem to create space from the beat, making it difficult to understand the lyrics. There doesn’t seem to be much passion coming from Austin’s delivery either, but the catchiness of the chorus will make fans return to the track.
Austin’s vocals steal the show on the following track, “Say What You Mean.” This time around, his melodies are infectious, while his soft vocal delivery perfectly matches the 80’s inspired glitchy production style. The recording of the vocals aren’t entirely crisp, but the rough recording style matches the intimate themes of the song.
“A Baby Girl Named Heaven” finds Austins experimenting further with his vocal range, while his ability of producing punchy kick drums continues to shine. The uptempo beat matches the urgency that is expressed through his sexually-driven lyrics.
“Hot (Like You)” provides a much needed change of pace, sonically. The groovy guitar and bass lines remind listeners of the trendy stripped-back production style of fellow LA-based songwriters, Steve Lacy and Malcolm Tood. Although his vocals aren’t as crisp as Lacy’s or Todd’s, Austin’s lofi recording style gives his music a sense of originality in a world full of copycats.
Despite a run time of just under two minutes, “The Ember” has to be one of the stronger tracks on the project. The heartfelt chorus is mixed beautifully with drawn out synths and and up-beat snare loop. Austins is able to execute so much in so little time to ensure he doesn’t overstay his welcome on the instrumental. With its vintage aesthetic, the song would fit perfectly in an 80’s coming-of-age film about love and romance.
The thematic connection between “Wipe Your Tears” and “River Stream (feat. Ceile Believe) is a genius. On the former, Austins confronts his emotions head on as a relationship comes to an end. Instead of sitting in the pain of heartbreak, he invites the listener to quit running from the ability of growth and wipe the “Tears Away”. On the ladder, Austins allows himself to indulge in the feelings of heartbreak and let his tears flow like a “river stream.”
The project is capped off with the track that forever changed his career, “Seasons.” His vocals are mixed perfectly, which only makes me wish the rest of his vocals on the project were edited with the same care and attention. The Clams Casino-esque production style puts the audience in a euphoric trance, which would sound amazing at any local nightclub around the country.
Sam Austins continues to grow as a producer and curator on The Woods, Vol. 1. His choice to continuously include clicky drum patterns allowed for the project to sound like one cohesive idea of art that was covered in creativity and originality. At times, his vocals lacked a sense of passion, with the mixing of his vocals not doing his voice a justice. The times when his vocals are mixed properly on the project, his true vocal range and melodies shine.
