Sam Himself

Biography

Sam Himself – Switzerland’s acting ‘King of Tears,’ New York’s leading Fondue Western™ baritone (as heard on the soundtrack of HBO's And Just Like That) – has a case of Deja Vu with Anna Rossinelli.

The bittersweet duet is a first for the two character voices, although the people behind them have known each other for some time. In early 2020, Sam and Anna planned their first tour together, which the pandemic forced them to postpone – and eventually cancel altogether.

The acquaintance that led to their friendship and ultimately the musical collaboration behind Deja Vu began in Basel, Switzerland. Sam, born Samuel Koechlin, made New York City his home at the tender age of 19, yet he remained close enough to his hometown’s music scene in Basel to be able to recruit Anna Rossinelli bassist Georg Dillier for his live band in 2018. The first Swiss concerts of his then newly hatched solo project Sam Himself already took place with Dillier on bass, a position he still holds today.

One thing led to another, the two exchanged ideas and one of those was the piano ballad that became Deja Vu: a snapshot of those small hours lost in memory and reminiscence. Dillier, who also works as a songwriter for Anna Rossinelli, put the finishing touches to Sam's song, which was subsequently recorded by Berlin producer Patrik Majer (Wir sind Helden; Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds) at Powerplay Studios outside Zurich, Switzerland.

Just last year, Sam Himself shared his second album, Never Let Me Go (Jan. 27, 2023 via Sony). The ten-track LP marks the latest collaboration of "Swiss-born, Gotham-bred" (SPIN) indie rocker Sam Koechlin with his longtime producer / ‘Second Beatle,’ Daniel Schlett (Iggy Pop; The War on Drugs) and mastering engineer Greg Calbi (David Bowie; Bruce Springsteen), featuring Chris Egan (Solange; Blood Orange) on drums and Josh "JD" Werner (Ghostface Killah; CocoRosie) on bass.

Never Let Me Go is Sam's soundtrack for the first day after what looked like the last, according to the two-time Swiss Music Award nominee himself, buoyed by the madness of a rapidly accelerating career trajectory, the thrill of touring again, and the promise of a reopening world whose studios, stages and dance floors we get to share again at last. To dress for the occasion, Sam teamed up with Swiss fashion house YVY for a signature line of Sam Himself Buckle Trousers. The brand counts Madonna and Billie Eilish among its fans, according to the New York Times.

Heartland, the album's focus track, “finds Sam Himself at his most warm and soulful, offering up a soaring sound that brings hints of The Killers and The War on Drugs into the mix,” (Under The Radar Magazine). In Sam's own words, "Heartland might be the world’s first Fondue Western road movie, shot through my windshield as I was driving across the country to see the only person I had eyes for. To me, it’s the tune you whistle along the highway to a dream you can’t stop chasing. If that sounds over the top, well, it is.”

It's love at first sight when Sam Koechlin moves to New York in the early 2010s with dreams of pursuing music – and the rude awakenings to match: Sam’s fascination for the city isn't exactly requited at first, so he embarks on a number of musical adventures, attends college and works odd jobs before finally launching his solo project, Sam Himself, in 2016. The name is born out of necessity and a Brooklyn concert promoter's ill-timed sense of humor: when the other member of a short-lived musical duo fails to show up for a gig one night, the remaining half is introduced to the crowd simply as "Sam… himself!" Newly solo, Sam connects with producer and mixing engineer Daniel Schlett, whom the artist affectionately dubs his 'Second Beatle’ in homage to the Fab Four’s indispensable George Martin; their creative partnership lasts to this day.

In late 2021, Sam Himself’s debut album Power Ballads, a “well-crafted set of atmospheric post-punk” (KEXP), broke the artist onto the international stage: KCRW revealed that Power Ballads single La Paz was a Top Ten fan favorite within the station's Today’s Top Tune segment. As recently as June 2023, the song was included in the soundtrack of HBO Max’s show And Just Like That (S2E02).

Prior to Power Ballads, Sam was already making a name for himself and his “smokey baritone vocals” (Under The Radar) with Slow Drugs (2020), the EP he released shortly after the outbreak of COVID-19. The artist was touring in Europe when the pandemic pulled the plug on live music - and Sam's return to New York City, his chosen home of the previous decade. The shock and solitude of that experience shaped Power Ballads, on which Sam performed and recorded most instruments himself from a variety of DYI home studios.

Last fall, Sam Himself served up his Fondue Western™️ sound in German for the first time: to celebrate his showcase at the Reeperbahn Festival, he covered Eisbär by Grauzone. The arctic cool original version by the Swiss post-punk heroes (including the now internationally renowned solo artist Stephan Eicher) was released in 1981; today, Eisbär is considered a classic of New German Wave. Far from being a disdainful homage, Sam's cover reveals the longing and melancholy of the polar bear hidden beneath its fur, without resorting to pathos or irony - or being intimidated by the cult status of the original. Sam Himself takes a stylistically confident bow to his pioneers as a Swiss artist with international appeal. In keeping with Grauzone's pioneering spirit, he sounds like himself every second. Thanks to the mix by Daniel Schlett (Iggy Pop; The War on Drugs), Sam's long-time producer and "second Beatle", and the mastering by Greg Calbi (David Bowie; Bruce Springsteen), the result is glowingly danceable.

After his yearlong album tour behind Never Let Me Go, which included stops in New York, Berlin, Vienna and Zurich as well as several collaborations with the Basel Symphony Orchestra, Sam Himself is currently concentrating on the production of his next album. The artist splits his time between Brooklyn and Basel, where he was recently nominated for the prestigious biennial Pop Prize.

As featured by HBO MAX, KCRW, KEXP, SPIN Magazine, Consequence of Sound, Under The Radar, American Songwriter, The Philadelphia Globe, FLUX.FM, radioeins, DIFFUS Magazin, SCHALL, FIP Radio (FR), Les oreilles curieuses (FR), Swiss National Radiotelevision SRF (CH), Danger Mouse Jukebox, Schweizer Illustrierte, 20 Minuten, BZ - Basellandschaftliche Zeitung, and many more. – Big Hassle

Tag: deja vu, mr. rocknroll, never let me go, golden days, power ballads, la paz, nothing like the night, fondue western, best talent, swiss music awards, cry, like a friend, slow drugs, sam himself