Out of the sleepy small towns of Orange County, NY, rapper Dylan Owen has become a beacon of light for tens of thousands of ardent listeners who turn to his songs of introspection and wonder and struggle as a soundtrack to their lives, and a kind of navigation device. His vulnerable, poetic songwriting has generated comparisons in the press to alternative icons like Conor Oberst and Elliott Smith, but he also possesses disarming technical prowess as an emcee, has bottomless reservoirs of wit and wordplay, and has production palettes ranging from alternative rap to pop to folk—where neither DJ scratches nor a live violin or trumpet are out of place. Through breakout EPs There’s More To Life and Keep Your Friends Close and fan-facing efforts, he has fostered a deeply engrossed and active community that sell out his shows, tattoo his lyrics, buy merch from every drop (from which the proceeds benefit mental health causes), and compose thousands of heartfelt social media messages. What sustains Dylan is more than a universal writing ability... it is his ongoing quest to carve out meaning from his journey for himself and others, and to give it away so that it might empower his listeners, who prove to him time and time again that there is more to life.