SAMWOY (FHANG, Half Moon Run) today releases his debut solo album Awkward Party via his own label, Hidden Ship Records. SAMWOY is the moniker of Montreal-based songwriter and JUNO award winning producer Sam Woywitka. He is joined on album by some of Montreal’s top musical guns—including Mishka Stein on the bass, Robbie Kuster on drums, and Erika Angell on vocals. On Awkward Party Woywitka unveils soundscapes that cross a dizzyingly vast terrain: from warm downtempo electronica to full-throated garage punk, from to dancefloor-ready grooves to warped and nostalgic ambient pieces.
Watch/Share: SAMWOY “Awkward Party”
The making of Awkward Party gave Woywitka the opportunity to confront and deal with past traumas, most notably the near-fatal car wreck he was in as a teen. The crash left Woywitka with severe injuries, including a brain injury with led him to experience dissociative states. “I feel this album has really allowed me the opportunity to reflect on my past self and have had a chance to sit down with 17 year old Sam and work some things out. I hope I can continue to use my art to help myself confront past traumas and peel back all the layers of masks I have hoarded over the years. I hope everyone can find something as meaningful as I find creating.”
Watch/Share: SAMWOY “White Dog”
Across the record's eclectic tracks, ornate flutes give way to squealing guitars. Lush string arrangements are bisected by gnarled synth arpeggios, and Woywitka’s voice shifts and transforms from track to track, all the way from gentle crooning to a maniacal raving that invites the listener to “go dancing into the sewer.” The main throughline throughout these songs is a restless commitment to sonic experimentation that those familiar with Woywitka’s singular production work will recognize as his signature. No genre distinctions are sacred here, and no sounds are too discordant to be amalgamated. Repurposed and reimagined sounds, often sampled, scrambled, and processed beyond recognition, create an immersive and mind-bending listening experience.
Watch/Share: SAMWOY “Hate Me”
The Montreal-based songwriter and JUNO award winning producer, Woywitka is also half of the genre-busting electronic duo FHANG with bass legend Mishka Stein. Woywitka’s production highlights include working alongside Grammy-winning producers DJ Khalil and Chin Injeti. Woywitka won a Juno award for his work on Half Moon Run’s 2019 album A Blemish in the Great Light.
Watch/Share: SAMWOY “Sbwriel"
Awkward Party is out June 2nd via Hidden Ship Records