cWith Something to Feel, Chris Bowen is not just releasing a collection of songs. He is stepping into a process of rebuilding how he writes, creates, and connects to music. Across five tracks, the EP traces that shift in real time, moving through change, reflection, and the search for something more grounded and intentional.
The title itself comes from a lyric in “The Sun,” but for Bowen, it represents “breaking away from the mundane and all the things we think we need to do in life, letting all of that go, and chasing what really sets us on fire and gives us something to actually feel while living.” It is less about reinvention and more about moving toward what feels authentic.
That idea also shaped how the EP came together. Before entering the studio, Bowen met with producer Andrew Stravers to establish the concept, then brought in Ryan Weddle and Colton Avery to build the songs from ideas rather than finished material.
“For this album, I had a meeting with Stravs before we got into the studio and talked about the concept of the album and what we wanted to do with it,” Bowen explained. “From there, we decided to make this album from scratch with just a few song ideas and to have Ryan and Colton come in and just see what organically comes from my ideas for the album.”
It was a significant shift in approach. Bowen says, “This is the first time that I went into the studio with only ideas and nothing actually written which was a little nerve-racking for me, but I definitely trusted who I had around me to make this happen.”
Working alongside Stravers and Weddle, both members of Katastro, brought a sense of creative ease to the process. Bowen adds, “I’m writing music with members of Katastro, legends in the music scene and masters of their craft.”
Once the sessions began, the songs came together quickly. “Within minutes, we were already rolling with writing the first song. We spent three days writing five songs, and then me and Stravers spent the next week dialing everything in and adding what needed to be added to finish the songs out. I’m truly grateful for these guys and the amazing EP that we made together,” Bowen says.
When asked if any song stood out as more personal or difficult to write, Bowen explains that the process itself was the defining challenge rather than individual tracks. “I don’t know if a specific song sticks out as more personal or harder to write than the other ones. It’s more so the way this album was written, in the moment, was a different approach to writing than I have ever done before. With this album, I had to be completely open minded and trust the process of what we were doing, and I feel like everything came together like magic. The experience itself helped me grow and level up as an artist and songwriter,” he says.
That sense of openness carries through Something to Feel, which Bowen describes as “the internal search for what really makes us feel alive.” The EP reflects that idea through its mix of reflection and forward motion.
Nowhere is that clearer than on “Nine,” the EP’s first single featuring Mouse Powell. Built on an upbeat pop infused reggae groove, the track carries an easy energy while focusing on personal change. At its core is the lyric, “To my old self I’m saying goodbye, new soul awake and alive,” which captures the project’s central shift. Mouse Powell’s feature adds another layer of movement and texture, helping define it as one of the standout moments.
“Float” moves into a lighter, more open feel, featuring Colton Avery and enhanced by Brett Coleman’s subtle keyboard work, which lifts the track’s atmosphere. Built around the lyric “when doubts drag you down, sometimes you gotta float, come on and float with me,” the song leans into release and letting go, turning that idea into something warm and easy going rather than heavy. “Never Enough” explores the feeling of never quite measuring up, but centers on a grounding force instead of spiraling pressure. For Bowen, love becomes what brings him back when that feeling shows up, shifting the focus toward remembering what already matters.
Across all five tracks, the collaborative foundation remains essential. Stravers, Weddle, and Avery contribute throughout the writing and production, while Lorenzo Gonzalez provides live drums across the EP, giving the record a consistent human pulse and grounded feel.
For Bowen, the project reflects a shift in how he approaches creativity, built less on control and more on allowing ideas to take shape in real time. As he puts it, the EP comes back to “the internal search for what really makes us feel alive.”
Written by by Kelly Graham @kelgraham144
