Say “thank you” to the Internet. Straight from a garage in Oakland, California comes the positive vibrations of Still Woozy, directly into your ears.
Still Woozy is not quite a band name. It’s a stage name for the 25 year-old solo artist Sven Gamsky. Named a 2018 “Artist to Watch” by Purple Sneakers (an Australian niche music hub), Gamsky combines acoustics and electronics to create a dreamscape sound.
To explain his choice in stage name, Gamsky admitted that “I’m pretty out of it… ask any of my friends… And I f***ing hate waking up in the morning. I always feel kinda woozy.”
There you have it. He’s woozy. Still Woozy.
Gamsky has yet to release an official album but has self-released several tracks, which have been well-received by online listeners. He has over a million monthly listeners on Spotify. So, it looks like a Still Woozy album may be forthcoming. Don’t worry. I’ll keep you posted.
Why the growing hype for the artist? Well, Still Woozy’s singles have a unique vibe that stops you in your tracks. Each song blends organically yet stands on its own. There is a warm, melancholy, homesick feel to the music that is genuinely hard to describe. (Seriously, I’ve been digging through Thesaurus.com to find the right words).
My favorite track, which I can’t hold off from telling you about any longer, is “Vacation.” It feels tongue-in-cheek yet somber. It’s a “soundtrack to your life” song. Still Woozy is only describable in abstract, metaphorical terms and feelings. That’s the kind of music we’re working with, so bear with me.
My other favorite (note: not “second favorite”) is “Habit,” which also happens to be the first Still Woozy song I encountered. The lyrics “my little one, she’s so bad, bad as the sun” sparked my interest. I’m not sure how bad the sun is, but I love this poetic comparison. It could mean so many things, depending on interpretation. Is she “hot” like the sun, as in attractive? Is she warm like the sun, as in emotionally warm? Is she powerful and dangerous?
Lyrics like these catch interest, but what keeps me coming back to Still Woozy is the funky, dreamlike, easy-listening sound profile. Gamsky has said that he tries to release his songs quickly after creating them, so that the listening experience is “real time” and organic. This unpolished sound is refreshing and unique in today’s music world.
Other tracks by the artist include “Lucy,” featuring Odie, another emerging artist,“Wolfcat,” “Goodie Bag” and “Cooks.”
I suggest listening to all of them, but I especially like “Wolfcat,” for reasons I can’t quite articulate. If you, my dear anonymous reader, enjoy discovering current music with the uniqueness to revitalize your taste, give Still Woozy a chance.
For bonus points, listen during a moment of heightened wooziness – when you first wake up, when you get home from a party or maybe when you’re taking a long, therapeutic shower.
