Sam Evian

Sam Evian is the stage name of Sam Griffin Owens, a singer-songwriter who plays mellow, soul-inspired, late-night pop with an assortment of vintage keyboards. At the heart of his music is a laid-back, almost slouching, funky bass groove and that killer jazzy Fender Rhodes action in the background with a DX-7 or a Moog up front that moves the tunes. He sings in a relaxed, hazy voice that becomes a part of the instrumentation. The arrangements are gentle and intricate, his flow is calm, and there are enough contemporary elements that find their way into the music to give his work a modern feel. His albums preceding 2021's Time to Melt were more on the country-soul and folk side melodically, and were more guitar-centric and lighter on the grooves.