Geist

Description

Geist is like a window – or a mirror – into the possibilities of oneself and beyond. Shannon Lay's new album is of a tender intensity, placeless and ethereal. There are abysses in the present – a world populated by shadows, spiritual awakenings, feelings of déjà vu, and past lives. There is something that sleeps within us, as Shannon sings on "Rare to Wake," the opening track, and it is the philosophy that guides us throughout the record. A winding, golden, delicate thread of intuition that explores the unknown, the possibility. Its title, Geist, the German word for "spirit," suggests a presence from beyond, of someone else. The promise that you are never alone. Shannon recorded the vocals and guitar at Jarvis Taveniere's studio from Woods, then sent the songs to multi-instrumentalists Ben Boye (Bonnie Prince Billy, Ty Segall) in Los Angeles and Devin Hoff (Sharon Van Etten, Cibo Matto) in New York, trusting their musical instincts and intuitions. She then sent these recordings to Sofia Arreguin (Wand) and Aaron Otheim (Heatwarmer, Mega Bog) to add keyboards, while Ty Segall contributed a guitar solo on "Shores." Overall, Geist is both esoteric and accessible. It features a stripped-down and concise cover of Syd Barrett's "Late Night," while "Rare to Wake," inspired by Dune, becomes meditative, and "Awaken and Allow," mostly a cappella, channels its distant Irish roots, a moment of reflection, before a soaring intensity that mirrors the anticipation and anxiety that accompany the first steps toward accepting change for oneself. "Geist," which gives its name to the album, is a song about the power that resides within each of us, a love song about the possibility of healing, an ode to falling into the arms of who you are becoming. It is a glimpse into parts of yourself that you have not yet met, but you can if you want to.