Today, 21-year old multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Sam Eagle has shared the title track from his forthcoming EP “She’s So Nice”. His much-anticipated new EP follows closely on the heels of his critically acclaimed EP “Something Out Of Nothing”, and is due out in April 2021 via Cooking Vinyl.
Following the release of his latest EP, Sam was announced as BBC Introducing Essex’s Artist Of the Year 2020, and last month he also supported label-mate Passenger for a livestream concert on Amazon UK’s Twitch channel (which was also simulcast on Passenger and Sam’s channels). Released in November 2020, ‘Something Out Of Nothing’ featured recent singles ‘Big King’, ‘Like This’, ‘Funkenheim’ and ‘Think Twice’ which have also seen Sam earn plaudits from the likes of BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, 6 Music, Radio X (evening playlist), CLASH, Mahogany, Berlin in Stereo and NPR, as well as being added to Spotify playlists such as “Fresh Finds” and “Fresh Finds: The Wave”. Alongside releasing the EP, Sam also finished the first series of his new podcast ‘SamCast’, in which he speaks to some of his favourite artists about their back stories, philosophies and creative approaches. The guests are diverse in genre and location but have a common feature in their attitude to creating music that is both unique and innovative. Recent guests have included the likes of Tom Robinson, Roman Rappak, Sam Duckworth and Yugen Blakrok, with the podcast reaching #6 in Apple’s music commentary podcast charts.
Where “Something Out Of Nothing” marked a new chapter for Sam both personally and musically, the new material is an expansive statement of his intent to continue to experiment and sonically diversify. Drawing heavily on Sam’s leftfield hip-hop and R&B influences, the new single is built around a funk-driven bass and rhythm section, which is permeated with a deceptively intricate combination of dulcet guitar lines, intermittent synth sections and soul-inflected, hook-heavy vocals.
Speaking about the single, Sam says, “I didn't write She's So Nice with anyone specific in mind, I just had the title and wrote the lyrics based on that. It’s very much obviously a love song, but as it’s not written about or for any particular person, to me it’s not necessarily intended to be about romantic love, which I like. This one is the oldest song out of all of them and has probably been recorded in different versions about 9 or 10 times before finding the final arrangement. I was happy with the final result, as it still has it's hip-hop / soul at it's core, but with indie arrangements around it.”
‘She’s So Nice’ EP due out 16th April 2021 via Cooking Vinyl – Pre-order HERE
Following on from his 2019 debut ‘Coping Mechanisms’, the last year has seen Sam Eagle earn plaudits from the likes of BBC Radio 1, 6 Music and Radio X, performing at festivals such as Latitude, SXSW and The Great Escape, as well as going out on a headline tour – including packed out dates at the Southbank Centre, Green Door Store and a sold-out 400 cap gig at Colchester Arts Centre.
The new EPs see Sam home in on a bigger and more focused sound whilst also channelling his lyrical content inwards. Drawing from the songwriting of decades before him, but with the modern production of the current crop, Sam cites an eclectic range of artists as influences such as JPEGmafia, Andre3000 and Kendrick Lamar as well as David Byrne and Radiohead. However, Sam doesn’t endeavour to replicate these artists musically but credits their inspiration in terms of approach and their attitude to experimentation and composition. The result is a collection of songs that are powerfully imaginative, honest, and most importantly impossible to pigeonhole.
Speaking on the new material, Sam says “The process for these songs has been about adapting and finding new ways to work and make music. I recorded the tracks at home. The entire mixing process was done remotely over the phone and internet. These challenges have made the songs what they are, just as challenges make us who we are as people.”
Getting to this point required a series of refinements, self-exploration, and acceptance. Sam describes a big part of the process of writing and recording the new EPs as involving him “completely losing” his way. Whilst the last year saw him gaining traction off the back of his debut release, it also involved many challenges and changes: a new relationship, travelling across Spain in a van and the Covid-19 lockdown, all of which subsequently led to him craving an opportunity to reconnect with why he makes music and who he is making it for. “It’s been a pretty intense journey. I’m doing stuff now that is much more honest to who I am...” says Sam, “I try to keep my music as pure an expression of myself as I possibly can. These songs are about love. For other people, family, for music (or whatever you do) and nature - the different types of love and what they bring. As a result, it changes and moves with me.”
‘She’s So Nice’ is a hugely exciting leap forward from Sam’s 2019 debut, not only in its musical development but more importantly in Sam’s own personal introspection and thematic and creative awareness. With his sights firmly realigned and hopes to play live again soon, this is the best possible time to get onboard.
