Photo by Nick Ilott
Samuel Taylor only unveiled his first single back in September. However, he arrived with such clarity and songwriting ability to master a poetic, subtle and emotive folk soundscape that he immediately caught attention. Releasing via No Roads Records, the Suffolk songwriter breaks the mould of so many, stripping back to simplicity and embracing a live sound.
Now, his debut EP Lost & Overgrown has been unveiled. Four tracks, fifteen minutes, intimate at every moment. The gentle pump of an acoustic guitar is paired with an honest vocal performance that always feels at one with the melody and the lyricism. Decorated then with string swells, steady bass and the occasional piano tone, it stays understated, and has all the more power for it.
This hushes nature makes the relatively climactic moments all the more poignant, embracing a blooming melancholy that shows the humanity behind the reassured tones.
Samuel shares, “My debut EP Lost & Overgrown is a collection of songs that range from, I hope, reassuring optimism to the hidden, most intimate parts of a relationship. Each song is a different shade of my own mental process and my observations of human struggles – I wanted it to be an insight into those quietly powerful moments in our own resilience and how rewarding it is when we find peace.”
Growing up in a remote part of his county, he spent his youth swimming in rivers, cycling through forests and embracing the countryside. Perhaps it’s that lifestyle that feeds into the wisdom and maturity he brings at just 23 years old, as every moment feels close to nature, close to reality.
Listen here:
