Press Conference With Still Woozy’s Sven Gamsky
It’s about that time again where we get a new release from Still Woozy. Born and raised in California, Sven Gamsky has made a name for himself in the psychedelic bedroom pop genre under the infamous stage name, “Still Woozy”. Unpublished Magazine had the opportunity to sit down with Sven in an exclusive press conference to talk all about his music, from his pet dog named Beemo – yes, like Beemo from “Adventure Time” – to his music production process. We even got to hear his new single, “BS” before its release.
When asked if his new single is a glimpse into the direction he plans to take his music, Sven said,
“I always try to make something that keeps my interest. There are all these different things I want to try so I wouldn't say that's really indicative of stuff that's coming, it's just a part of the whole picture.” I like how his music is viewed as building blocks, in a way, that progress off one another to create this unique sound that is “Still Woozy.”
One thing that always catches my eye about “Still Woozy” is the band’s unique cover art. Created by his now fiance (@aktuallycooks on Instagram), Sven was asked how her art has inspired his music. He replied,
“I wouldn't necessarily say her art, it's more like she puts art into every little thing she does. When she dresses she just puts all this detail. She just makes her whole life into art and I feel like that kind of just inspired me more than anything else.”
As we progressed from the art into the meaning behind his music, Sven was asked about how he turns sad subjects into songs that don’t make his listeners sad or upset and if this is reflective of his personality. Sven replied, “For me, music is kind of like a coping mechanism. I definitely have emotional stuff that I'm working through. My goal is to create more of a safe space, just to get a little break from yourself or whatever you need.” I especially loved this comment because I am a firm believer that music can lift any sour mood or brighten anyone’s day. He continued on to say, “If I know it can provide some level of a buffer or will help me, I just know that I can do the same with other people.”
Another interesting fact about “Still Woozy” is how Sven self produces his own music. Wanting to know more about this vital aspect of what creates the band’s distinct sound, he was asked,
“What about the production process do you most enjoy, and as you gain traction, why do you continue to self produce?” Sven replied, “I just love playing with sounds and textures. It’'s just so much fun to make beats, basically, and just create something out of nothing.” He referenced the creation of a song to a skeleton and building on top of sounds to create its muscles, watching it take shape. “It kind of always blows my mind a little bit,” he noted. In regard to why he self produces his music, Sven spoke about how much of a perfectionist he really is. “When you give stuff to someone else to do, it's never going to be like your true vision. It would just not really sound like the stuff that I've done because I’ve curated my own tastes over the years,” Sven said. Saying that his music is made through his “particular lens,” Sven said, “There's something you lose out on if you were just constantly working with someone else or getting beats produced for you.” This was so refreshing to hear because it shows the importance of small details that create an artist’s tone and style.
Of all the topics we discussed with Sven, my favorite was finding out that his dog is named after Beemo from “Adventure Time.” Also, learning that he has been listening to Dominic Fike over quarantine was fun to hear about, too. Sven said that Fike’s new album “makes [him] excited to put out an album too,” so we have definitely that to look forward to.
