A new release from Sam Louis has a colorful and edgy way of pushing boundaries and crossing genres with this hyper pop rock banger that is absolutely bleeding character and presence along with a sonic soundscape you can't look away from.
"See Me Now" is full of pleasant surprises around the corners and comes through with a vital energy that is quickly infectious and will have you jumping around the living room in no time flat.
Teaming up with Badlook for this one definitely feels like a great move because the single comes through with a very unique energy and approach that hits like whiplash but still manages to put out these massive melodies and choruses that give off even a pop-punk undertone.
This track was absolutely killer and had enough going on to make you want to dig deeper into the catalog of this artist while cranking this one simultaneously.
There's such a crisp and refreshing feeling that comes along with this track and it's got an endless brightness to it that sort of grabs at you and keeps you right where it wants to.
It feels awesome to listen to the song and you have to do it more than once because, after the first time around, you feel like you might have missed something so, you go back again.
This was a gigantic pop soiree, and it incorporated such a great balance of edginess and alternative tonality with that unique character so that you get the best of multiple worlds.
The song has a way of rocking out, but it also has a way of giving off a high-speed dance-pop vibe that touches on breakbeat and is able to give off a sort of vivid picture at the same time.
One of my favorite things about this song is the guitar solo in it because I just miss guitar solos and songs and you almost don't expect it to happen with this track so when it does it's awesome.
It also is just the perfect little bow on the package because with that you have a track that hits so many sweet spots and rings all the bells and whistles that you can't ignore it.
This one definitely packed quite a punch and it may come unexpectedly, but once you get there you really fall in love with it what's more is that this track is so great for people that love all different styles of music because of how many that this one-track blends together.
By the end of the song, you made just stop and look around the room while asking yourself what just happened before hitting play again.
Incredibly worth it, trust me you'll want to play it again and when you do you'll catch on to a few things you missed the first time around.
There are certain things about this that also almost feel like a summer song in itself which of course is perfect timing but that could just be in that energy and that color of the performance in the delivery of everything.
With the release of such a killer single we wanted to have a sit down with Sam to find out where this track came from and what might be coming up next.
Here's what went down.
Buzz Slayers: Let's begin with the "See Me Now" single as it really has a cool and edgy feel to it along with a youthful and colorful vibe! Where did this track come from?
This record was actually written two years ago in the thick of the pandemic. My cousin Matt Migz and I drove up a couple hours north of Toronto to meet up with the legendary BADLOOK. We locked ourselves in the studio, determined to come up with something heavy. I had been listening to a lot of drum and bass (DnB) and thought that that style of music could be a perfect medium to link BADLOOK’s punk pop sound with mine. We wrote the lyrics, and then recorded the whole song that day at his home studio. After that I sent the song to my friend Kevin Enstrom in Los Angeles, he was obsessed with the track and wanted to add a guitar solo. A couple months later he sent me his ideas, it reminded me of a theme song for a saturday morning anime show. This solo is the element that inspired the anime cover art and I knew then that we had something cool brewing. For about a year we sat on the song, waiting for the right time to release it. Both of us were in release campaigns for our other music and it wasn’t until fall of 2022 that the timing felt right to mix/master the record and get it out to the world!
Buzz Slayers: You have a lot of releases under your belt! What sort of things inspire or push you to write?
Songwriting is something that keeps me sane, I do it for therapy, to tell stories that I can’t express with words. I previously was too afraid to get personal and specific with my lyricism, so a lot of my earlier releases were very general and colourful. But these past years I’ve found the beauty in writing selfishly and unapologetically. A lot of my new music is driven by darker more introspective issues and mental struggles that I feel so many people can relate too. Mental health is STILL stigmatic and I will continue to try and level that landscape through my music.
Buzz Slayers: How do you feel like your sound has evolved since you began releasing music?
Sonically my sound has almost flipped inside out. Usually I would design the music with my band, workshop the tracks and then produce around that. But with my new music I’m working with producers in the studio right from the start, crafting the tracks with live instruments in mind, carving out the right spots to fill with live drums or bass. One thing that has always been a constant is guitar, It really is the one thing that has to be in my music.
Buzz Slayers: This is a collaboration with BADLOOK! How did that come about?
I’ve known Dave (BADLOOK) for a few years now and we’ve been constantly trying to link on a new track. He is a production guru and his work flow is truly like no other. I knew that as soon as we got into a studio together we’d be able to make an impactful, hard hitting record. I met him through my friend Classic Roots (Joshua DePerry), we used to travel up north to different reserves and perform as a collective. It wasn’t until 2017, where we actually got to work together in the studio for the first time. We were all brought on to help create the soundtrack for a documentary called “Turning Tables”. Written and directed by Chrisann Hessing, this documentary went on to WIN best short at the 43rd American Indian Film Festival in 2018. This experience really brought me closer to Dave and was something that I’ll never forget.
Buzz Slayers: Do you perform live or tour and if so, do you have people that perform with you?
This summer we’re gearing up for some of our biggest shows yet. I love live performance, it’s where I started. I think our live shows always surprise people because that’s where our sound really shines, all the new music that I’ve been writing has been designed with a live set in mind. We just kicked off our summer shows with a sold out Canadian Music Week showcase at the El Mocambo, next we hit the stage on July 13th with Smoking Room Only, we’ll be playing The Rivoli at 10pm. Our show after that is shaping up to be our biggest yet, we will be playing the Drake Underground on July 26th for Breaking Sound. This is going to be the first show with all new music, fans will get to hear a bunch off of the new album before it drops this fall. Please head over to my website samlouis.com for more details on that show coming soon.
Buzz Slayers: Is there another release coming up after this one?
There will be 3 new singles coming this fall, alongside my first album. The next single is called Faded Jeans and will be the first of 3. This album will be quite the lil alien compared to my previous work, featuring 8 new tracks that are manically unique and reflective of where I currently am mentally and musically.
Buzz Slayers: What would you say is your favorite part of doing what you do?
My favourite part has to be live performance. Nothing beats the raw energy you get from a live crowd, it really is the most rewarding and pure experience to see someone get lost in your own music.
Buzz Slayers: Did you produce and record this mostly on your own or do you have a seperate producer you work with?
During the pandemic, I recorded all my final lead vocals and harmonies myself, in my room. But as for production, my skills are still in progress haha so for all my music I like to rotate between a couple of different producers/friends. For this next record I had the honour of working with producer Andre Mohring (Big Sean, King Princess, Baby Keem), together we crafted the new album in Los Angeles at his studio in Eagle Canyon.
Buzz Slayers: Did you record this in a big studio or do you have a home set up?
For most of the album we recorded mainly at Andre’s home studio but for the live drum and bass elements we had the privilege of using Earth, Wind and Fire’s iconic Revival studio in downtown LA. Working with their incredible engineers Tom Kahre and Kevin Enstrom (Post Malone, Big Sean, Kesha)
Buzz Slayers: Who are your main musical influences especially for this song?
I’m a huge music geek and listen to so much music daily haha but my main influences gotta be Post Malone, Yves Tumor, Steve Lacey, Charli XCX, Grimes and The Kid Laroi specifically was a huge influence for this track. I love how these artists are transforming the Alt-pop music scene throwing genres all over the place with no regard.
Buzz Slayers: Is there any message you want to say to fans of the music?
You know, the more I do this, the more humbling it becomes. Hearing stories, and experiences of your music helping or inspiring people really adds a beautiful kind of pressure and weight to the art. It becomes more and more of a selfless experience at the same time as it becomes a selfish one. I just want to say THANK YOU, and that I won’t be letting you down anytime soon. To my crew that’s been riding with me since the Wild Days, I LOVE YOU you’re the reason I’m still doing this.
Commenti