Californian favourite Shannon Lay is releasing her new album Geist in October, and having already shared three blissful singles in “Rare To Wake”, “Awaken and Allow” and the title track, she’s spoiling us with yet another new gem called “A Thread to Find”. Ever the zen master, she says:
“‘A Thread to Find’ is about finding pieces of yourself in unfamiliar places. It is about watching the people around you grow and evolve and admiring the chaos and the beauty of discovering new worlds within ourselves. It is recognizing the courage and strength in each other even in the face of great challenge. And it is a reminder for when you get lonely on your journey that we are in this together. You’re on your own but not alone.”
Lightly psychedelic keys and rich violin run behind Lay’s acoustic guitar on “A Thread to Find”, emphasising the cerebral nature of the thought experiment and eventual discovery being explored here. Often, we look at our friends and peers and find ourselves unfairly comparing ourselves to them, but Lay inverts that idea and urges us to use their successes and strengths to inspire ourselves, to discover that next level within ourselves – and to make sure that we maintain a love for those people in the process. Of course, it’s done in poetic, celestial imagery, making the words even more open to interpretation, where everyone might pull their own thread and come out with their own lesson. What’s not up for debate is the spiritual goodness and positivity in Lay’s words and voice – especially as she reaches the hymnal and healing conclusion “you’re on your own but not alone.”
Watch the video for “A Thread to Find” below, or listen to it on streaming platforms.
Shannon Lay’s new album Geist is out on October 8 through Sub Pop. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram. She’s also announced a European tour in November, catch her at these dates:
8 Nov – Berlin, DE – Monarch
9 Nov – Hamburg, DE – Aalhaus
11 Nov – Utrecht, NL – Le Guess Who? Festival
12 Nov – Paris, FR – Le Consulat
13 Nov – Kortrijk, BE – Sonic City Festival
15 Nov – London @ St. Pancras Old Church
