St. Sol

BIO

St. Sol is an alchemist, first and foremost. Painting with swirling, textural synthesizers, their shapeshifting music operates outside of genre. In their confessional 2019 debut Amphibian, their focus is pointed deeply inward, prodding and dissecting the melodrama of isolation. In “Lonewolf,” a hazy guitar and lilting percussion set a minimal stage as St. Sol laments, “I see myself in every one/ but no one can find themselves/in the forest of me.” Later in the album, a burning fire of determination comes through in “Watch Me,” a vibrating, bass driven electronic soundscape.The final chorus explodes with the artists belligerent dare, “Watch me glow.”

In 2020 as the world descends to madness, St. Sol finds solace in the dark of the unknown. This project is largely inspired by Thomas W Moore’s  interpretation of the story of Narcissus from a 1976 issue of Parabola Magazine entitled “Magic.” In this interpretation, the Narcissus experience is “to discover a new self-to bring to the surface a formerly hidden potentiality, an altogether new image of oneself.” Whereas Amphibian cleared a path into the unconscious, in Limina, St. Sol dives into it headfirst-triggering and engaging in their own Narcissus experience. 

The five-track EP features “Never Know,” an anthemic meditation on “The Great Unknown” In this song, St. Sol examines their relationship to the truth Narcissus sought in his reflection. The track’s verses contemplate the anxieties of worshipping control, while the bridge embodies the promise of potential in its release, “Now, I see a horizon that’s much farther off/growing pearls from behind my eyes/past the light of the glittering stars”

The EP’s lead single, aptly titled Narcissus follows, and St. Sol’s mutability shines. Rising out of the vestiges of the previous track, Narcissus draws power from its minimal and tense drum and bass landscape. Wearing Narcissus as a hunter, St. Sol balances control and release, coming to the realization that seething through the hushed urgency of their search, the “it” they’ve been looking for is part of them.

“The work that I do stems from a genuine place of exploration” The artist says, “Limina is about this process of coming closer to your core, trusting the path without knowing where you are or where you’re going. It sort of orbits around physical and symbolic death and–for me–builds a new relationship to these very necessary, very feared parts of being alive.”

To coincide with the release of “Narcissus” and Limina, St. Sol (a multi-disciplinary artist) developed an immersive VR music experience for “Narcissus” that explores the parallels between digital space, and the invisible space of the mind. “Narcissus” will be released as Limina’s official single on September 15th, complete with 3D audio, a customizable 360 video version on YouTube, and an experiential VR Screening Party to celebrate its release on September 18th at the Headlong Dance Theater in St. Sol’s native Philadelphia (tickets).

PRESS QUOTES

Coming Very Soon

MUSIC

Experience St. Sol’s new 360 music for “Narcissus” here: https://StSol.fanlink.to/Narcissus

PHOTOS