Sis | Interview | New Album, ‘Vibhuti’
Sis, the recording project by Jenny Gillespie Mason, recently released a fantastic album called ‘Vibhuti.’
There’s a whisper in the wind. There’s an ancient voice ringing through the 21st century. There’s old stories retold again and again. The debut album from California’s Sis proves that the personal and spiritual co-exist in a continuum that stretches back forever. With the album’s name derived from the Sanskrit term for the divine spirit within the human body, Vibhuti is an emotional journey through sound that will leave you feeling whole again.
Sis is the project of Jenny Gillespie Mason. As a writer, Mason is fearless in her vulnerability and search for new sounds. Vibhuti recalls the trip-hop of bands like Portishead or The Beta Band, but offers exciting new sounds influenced by world music. Using instruments like the Afghan rubab, sitar, and harmonium, Mason creates a soundscape that lays the perfect foundation for her spiritual and existential lyrics. On ‘Mother’s Grace,’ Mason reflects on the spiritual implications of motherhood over an undeniably groovy beat. Moments on the album feel a kinship with Radiohead’s ‘King of Limbs,’ with the danceability of the tracks bolstering a deep sense of longing. ‘Pregnant in Bhutan’ finds Mason singing “in the happiest place on earth / but no one seemed to smile.” It’s these type of juxtapositions, musically and lyrically, that make ‘Vibhuti’ a rewarding, challenging, and life-affirming listen.
Through her project Sis, Jenny Gillespie Mason reflects on the ethereal moments of the human condition. Motherhood, new love, Springtime, travel – all of these things find significance on ‘Vibhuti.’ It is special when artists bring us along for their personal journey. And it’s clear that Mason finds the divine in every moment of her life. And all of these celestial moments pour out into her songs.
“I find the divine through people”
How do you find the divine in your daily life? How do those searches for the divine manifest into songs?
I find the divine through people, their sweetness and smiles and kindness, through the natural beauty of Northern California, and through the blessings and lessons of my own life.
The search manifests in my songs as music has always been my medium to speak to the transcendent. The wordlessness of the yearning and exploratory melodies coupled with the potential for language to name and inquire has always made music an ideal spiritual channel.
You recorded ‘Vibhuti’ in studios across LA and NY. Was it important to have a sense of travel and movement while making the album?
I did not travel, but musicians recorded in these places. But, I did travel to Costa Rica in the middle of the album. The natural beauty, kindness and gentleness of the people there, and the fact they have no military, made a big impression on me and upon my return, I tried to channel that into the music -that sense that I’d been somewhere that really was attempting the ideal.
Do you have a favorite song from the album?
It changes week to week! Right now I love Mother’s Grace.
What was it like to work with a wide variety of players?
I enjoyed it because it always brought a new dimension of feeling and texture to the songs, and it felt like a collection of beautiful spirits getting together to play and explore musically on the recording.
What do you hope listeners take away from the album?
I hope listeners feel a sense of softening, widening and aspiration to draw closer to their own souls.
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