After two singles this year, Samuel Adryk is giving us what we all were waiting for – more music! His second EP “Oxytocin” is a nostalgic, feel-good album that is definitely set out to brighten your day. Comprised of 15 minutes and 6 songs, Oxytocin is the right listen to instantly change your mood and calm yourself down. Samuel Andryk is a musician of the world and finds his music rooted in these experiences.
The first song on this EP is called Way Back Home. The song features Andryk’s dynamic vocals and really sets the tone for the whole EP. His vocals are also complimented by his signature acoustic guitar. The song explores the ideas of finding one’s way back home.
The second song, Wounds, is an interesting take on a classic-acoustic pop song. There’s a fun bass line that really accentuates the whole vibe of the song. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself grooving to Wounds. During his travels, Samuel Andryk has experienced love, loss, and adventure, and has used music to help fuel his own healing process and the healing process of others as well. This positive – introspective energy really comes through with this new EP.
Samuel Andryk explores his passion for all things acoustic by incorporating pop, R&B and atmospheric elements into his music. This comes alive in the third song, Feel the Same. What starts out as a beautiful pop piece, slowly picks up an R&B vibe with the backing harmonies. Andryk literally hits a new high with his breathtaking vocals in Feel the Same. A little Easter Egg that he has left in the EP is featuring this track twice – an acoustic and a more pop/R&B version.
Paradise is a real flipping point in the EP. I believe Samuel Andryk really showcases his range with this track. The track has some interesting vocal points which play around with some atmospheric stringed instruments to really create an unmatched vibe.
The last song Coming Down is the real surprise in the EP, as it’s a literal hint. I believe this song is the perfect ending to the EP as it lets you come down mellow after the myriad feelings that the other songs invoke. It’s almost as if Samuel Andryk is singing you to sleep – and we are all here for it!
We had the chance to interview Andryk about his EP, and here is what he had to say about it:
After two singles this year, Oxytocin is your second EP. I really enjoyed listening to the whole album. Can you tell me what the thought process behind the song was?
The best part about writing EP Oxytocin was that it was the first time I’ve ever written music without thinking. It was totally feeling based. My producer and I moved to the Canary Islands for 3 months and rented an apartment together where we could really set up our own home studio and just let the creative energies flow. Within the first week, I was already singing the melodies of all the songs out loud. Whether I was in the shower, or washing the dishes, just ask my producer haha. I would be in the kitchen suddenly singing, and he would be sitting in the living room with the acoustic guitar, and then we would match chords to the melodies instantly and quickly record each song with our phones so as not to lose it. It was magic. It wasn’t until after all the songs were complete, I started thinking about what they actually meant to me. It was the total opposite way I would usually do things, but it felt super refreshing.
Of, course calling the EP Oxytocin makes me think that the album deals with different expressions of love. Can you elaborate on that? Did you know from the beginning that this was a concept that you wanted to work on?
Love this question! All I knew when we first arrived in Spain was that I had some personal shit to address and work on. We got there in January, when the rest of Northern Europe was still in lockdown from Covid, and I think just the heaviness from all the isolation we felt at the time really set the scene for Oxytocin. We thought, if we can’t all be together in person, let’s create music that sounds wholesome, lovey-dovey, and healing, kind of like someone’s daily dose of Oxytocin in sonic form. Oxytocin is necessary for everyone, and keeps us feeling alive and connected as human beings. Whether it’s from snuggling, feeling close to someone, being in love – all of these things were much more difficult to do during 2020. Hence- the birth of Oxytocin. 🙂
I heard that you wrote all 6 songs within the first week of arriving in Spain. That’s quite the feat. Can you tell me about your pandemic experience and how it has affected your music?
This question definitely builds off of the first two. I think more than anything, we temporarily moved to the Canary Islands to escape the winter lockdown, with the hopes to create something special and share it with the rest of the world. The combination of the cold and dark days, the curfew at 9pm and everything being closed here in Amsterdam (where I currently live) made me feel so trapped, and much more distant from those who I love the most. The first week in Spain, we invited all the creative spirits to guide us during those months on the island, and I swear I’ve never written anything with so much ease. Not just lockdown, but due to other personal things in my life I had to let go of, I was feeling so heavy and these songs were definitely painful to write, but healing at the same time. When I listen to them now, I really hear this longing and nostalgic feeling in the melodies, which is directly related to how I was feeling when we first arrived.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Ugh, impossible to say. Growing up, I loved anything dreamy and acoustic sounding. I would listen to Enya with my grandma all the time, and also old-time bands like the Everly Brothers. When I was 13 I discovered a band called Secondhand Serenade, who mostly had songs with just his voice and the guitar, and from that point onwards I’d completely fallen in love with acoustic music. I also remember when Justin Bieber started getting famous I looked up to him for inspiration as we were the same age (even then I was chasing the dream!), and from him, I started practicing and working on my runs, which I try to incorporate in almost every song I have. I’m a sucker for runs, haha. I also have a weak spot for alternative R&B and soulful sounding music. At the moment, I’m listening to Daniel Caesar, Raveena and Bruno Major quite a bit. And love to have chill throwback nights at home with Louis Armstrong and Amy Winehouse.
Do you have more music planned for us? What do you see for yourself in the future?
Definitely! Stay tuned for upcoming music right around the New Year, 😉 My producer and I have been working on some stuff remotely, as I am based in Amsterdam, and he lives full time in Italy. There have been talks about even returning to the Canary Islands in January again like we did last year, that way we can write in person again, let’s see! In the future, I would love to be able to focus on music and coaching full time. (Side note- I’m also a coach and love to help people dive deep into who they are and help them form a strong sense of self and identity). With the music, I totally see myself going on a European tour someday, but for now, I’m working on planting my roots here in Amsterdam, and have some upcoming shows at some pretty cool places in the city.
Don’t miss out on Samuel Andryk and Oxytocin.
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