In the ever-evolving landscape of indie pop, Still Woozy stands out with his unique blend of mellow grooves and introspective lyrics. His latest album, 'Love Seat,' encapsulates this blend perfectly, taking listeners on a journey that starts with familiar sounds and ventures into new, emotionally rich territories.
The album kicks off with "Again," a track that sets the tone for the entire record. "When I first made the song 'Again,' it just always felt like the first song," Still Woozy shares. "Going from starting from that song, you know, you just had to go to the end and then you want to keep the energy high in the beginning or at least as high." This track, though not a high-energy anthem compared to mainstream standards, carries a briskness that establishes the album's initial momentum and hooks the listener into the sonic journey about to unfold.
As the album progresses, Still Woozy intentionally shifts gears. "As I got through half of the album, I wanted to kind of take it down a bit into 'Big Fish' and 'Houston' and go into the more storytelling," he explains. This transition from upbeat to contemplative mirrors the listener's journey from the comfort of the familiar into the depths of new emotional landscapes.
While 'Love Seat' may not have a blatant overarching message, Still Woozy notes an underlying theme; vulnerability. "I think overall, there's a message kind of that's not blatant, but it's just being okay with being vulnerable," he says. This theme permeates the album, especially in tracks like "Big Fish," which delves into familial love and personal experiences. "I wrote a song about my dad. 'Big Fish' is about my dad. And I guess it's like, when writing from these places, they kind of, you're kind of like, it's whatever feeling is deep enough to elicit the song."
Creating 'Love Seat' was not without its challenges. The mixing and mastering process was particularly taxing on Still Woozy, who admits to being highly particular about the sound. "I'm so annoyed, honestly, with how I'm like so particular about how I want it to sound. And there was just like 10 revisions for each mix and then each master. So that's, I don't know, you can do the math. That's a lot of different revisions and it's a lot listening."
This perfectionism extends to the collaborative aspect of music-making as well. While Still Woozy primarily creates music alone, he acknowledges the value of collaboration, especially when it happens organically. "The feature thing can be overdone a lot where it's just kind of like copied and pasted and it doesn't actually benefit the song. So it just has to be like a really organic thing to do."
'Love Seat' draws from a rich tapestry of musical influences. Still Woozy sites a wide range of artists, from new-age musicians to older influences, as significant inspirations for this album. "There's a lot of kind of older music that inspired me for this. Like a lot of The Beatles, but then some like kind of Marvin Gaye records that are just, that feel like really warm. They're inviting you into the space and nothing is like overly compressed. And Tame Impala as well. Definitely inspired me just with the synth texture, which I just, I can't get enough of, honestly," he notes. This warmth and sense of intimacy are evident throughout the album, creating an inviting atmosphere for listeners.
For Still Woozy, the environment in which he creates music is crucial. "I'm someone who needs to be, like, relatively grounded, I feel like, to make music, like in the same place. I have a home studio, and when I can wake up every and go down to work, I feel like I can get in a good, really good groove." This need for stability contrasts with the disorientating experience of touring, highlighting the challenges artists face in maintaining creative momentum on the road.
The album concludes with "Rid Of Me," a track that holds a special place in Still Woozy's heart. "It's probably, I think it's my favorite one on the album. And it's like, it's been feeling really good live just to feel, it's been feeling pretty cathartic." The decision to end the album with this slower, more introspective song was a collaborative one, suggested by his manager. "You have to come up with an order and then listen to it all the way through and you want things to flow into each other. You don't want the energy to like, you know, to die out too quickly and things have to be compatible."
'Love Seat' is an album that invites listeners to sit down, relax, and immerse themselves in Still Woozy's world. It's a place where vulnerability is embraced, and the familiar becomes a gateway to new experiences. With its rich tapestry of influences and heartfelt storytelling, 'Love Seat' is not just an album but a cozy, introspective journey that resonates long after the music stops.
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