Sam.Sts Steps Into His Own in "Only One I Know"
Newcomer Sam.Sts may only have a handful of singles to his name but he is clearly on the cusp of something special. First catching our eye back in 2018 with the release of "Tokyo," we praised the then 18-year-old artist's impressive ability of balancing all the woes and joy of high school with a budding music career. Now, nearly two odd years later, Sam.Sts has returned with his long-awaited follow-up, "Only One I Know."
From the very first moments of "Only One I Know," it is clear as day that the Indiana native has spent the past couple of years busily perfecting his craft. Combining the gospel roots of his new home of Chicago with an understated pop-leaning wit, Sam.Sts makes his way through an ethereal soundscape that is simultaneously wistful and heavenly. He spoke further on the inspiration behind the new track, sharing,
"When I was writing this, I was preparing to head off to my first semester of college in Chicago and just in a heavy transition period in my life in general."
Our initial praise of Sam.Sts and his infectious musings originally led us to a knee-jerk comparison to Rex Orange County, and while the similar penchant for lively sonic storytelling remains, in "Only One I Know" the rising artist truly comes into his own. It would be no understatement to say that amidst a period of change and reflection Sam.Sts has emerged with a single that bears all hypnotic elements of its predecessors and the shimmer of a newfound emotional intelligence.
Listen to "Only One I Know" below:
