Among the droves of indie “bedroom pop” artists saturating the music industry right now, Still Woozy stands out as one of the best. The man behind this whimsical name is Sven Gamsky, a recent college graduate from Oakland, California. Writing, producing, and recording everything in his own garage, Gamsky is obviously a man of immense talent and creative aptitude. His music is reminiscent of fan-favorites like Clairo, Gus Dapperton, and Rex Orange County, but his combination of live instrumentation and his affinity for genuine emotional connection set him apart from the rest.
In an interview with Pigeons and Planes, Gamsky explains that the name Still Woozy comes from the feeling he gets when he creates his music. He claims,
“I have a tendency to go inside my head. Deep enough where I sometimes forget where I am. But this allows me to go to a really creative space, where my songs come from. The name felt right because in any situation, I’m able to slip into that other place.”
This enigmatic moniker is part of the reason why his music is so appealing. It both enraptures and eludes, leaving the listener with a lingering “wooziness” long after Gamsky’s sounds leave their ears. It truly is the perfect name.
When creating his sound, Gamsky focuses on low-fi R&B and electronica-influenced production that feels immediately warm and soothing. He manages to imbue his simple instrumentation with nostalgic soul and modern funk grooves, providing an incredibly unique listening experience that Gamsky himself describes as “happy, sad, melancholy, and dreamy all at once.” Lyrically, each of his songs drip with a certain ennui and sensuality that elicits feelings of both reverie and tender affection. Few other artists in the industry right now make music to which I can both daydream on the couch and dance around my room.
In addition to being calmingly soulful, Gamsky is an incredibly talented musician. While so many other artists of his same caliber take advantage of the ease of electronic production, Still Woozy is dedicated to mostly live instrumentation in order to give his music the authentic quality that he admires so much. He’s mainly a guitarist, but he writes and records his own piano and bass lines.
Not to mention the fact that Still Woozy’s album artwork, which he claims is done by a partner of his, is so freaking dope. Check some of it out below: (Images are courtesy of Bandcamp)
Still Woozy’s current discography consists of only five songs. His first, “Vacation,” is a intimate track featuring psychedelic synths and cozy vocals. “Wolfcat” is a soulful slow-jam utilizing wonderfully funky synth lines and cute, airy production. His most recent song “Lucy” and his two most popular tracks, “Cooks” and the superb “Goodie Bag,” are cool, sultry cuts that blend together all the best elements of the “bedroom pop” genre. Casually groovy and endlessly cool, Still Woozy is the perfect soundtrack for everything from a group kickback to chilling alone in your room.
You can listen currently listen to Still Woozy on any major streaming platform. I’ve included some Soundcloud links below. Also, make sure to check out his music video for “Cooks,” streaming now on YouTube.
Goodie Bag:
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/351243997″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]
Lucy:
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/417461751″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]