The first time I met Dylan was the first time I heard his music. We were sitting around in a mutual friend’s living room, listening to music, when he suddenly played a song I’d never heard before. We all liked it, so we asked him who the artist was. “It’s me!” He said, happy with the outcome of his little experiment. Turns out the name of the song is “SHE (little runaway)” (available on Spotify). It’s a catchy, yet melancholic, heartbreaking song about letting go of someone you love. The single is part of his new EP, which was released on August 20, entitled “Wheelchair”. When I asked him about the meaning behind the title and the idea behind the project itself, he told me “[It’s like] something that helps you out, yet holds you back [in a way]. You know? Obviously, I’m not in a wheelchair, but I see myself being held back by a lot of things, and then a lot of things that keep me going through the day.” When I asked about the musical influences behind his new EP, he named artists like Kurt Cobain, Elliot Smith, “a lot of Joy Division… and Bob Dylan, for sure.” He also named Kid Cudi and Kanye West’s “808s & Heartbreak” as part of the inspiration behind his latest music. So, yeah, “Wheelchair” has a melancholic sound to it, but just like he told me “you don’t have to feel sad in order to enjoy listening to it.” And I agree; what I love about his sound is the rawness behind the emotions and how he portrays them through music, something that’s become less common in more mainstream music. This is why you should really check out “Wheelchair” and keep an eye out for him. You can listen to his EP on Spotify and follow him on Instagram (@imnotdylanthomas).