New York, NY (Top40 Charts) San Francisco-based ethereal artist AURSJOEN presents 'Apollo', the third single from her sensual and mystical debut 'Strand' EP, released via Stratis Capta Records and produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by William Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate, Faith and the Muse, Mephisto Waltz, Christian Death) at 13 Studio in Chicago.
AURSJOEN is the project of Ria Aursjoen, who is vocalist and keyboardist for critically acclaimed post-punk outfit Octavian Winters, whose 2023 debut EP 'The Line or Curve' was followed by 2024's double A-side single 'Nebula / Velveteen' with electronic legend Mark Pistel (Meat Beat Manifesto, Consolidated). A classically-trained singer and multi-instrumentalist, her musical past is steeped in genres ranging from Celtic and Nordic folk to darkwave and progressive metal.
Written by Aursjoen 10 years ago, 'Apollo' features a guest performance by Stephan Bryan Salit of Octavian Winters on guitar. As with the previous two singles - the ever-haunting 'For Want Of' and her ethereal debut 'Nytår' - the new video is the work of filmmaker David Kruschke, showcasing his masterful capture of light and colour.
"Apollo" was written a few years ago and the idea was inspired by Dave Wyndorf (Monster Magnet). I always found Dave's use of his voice absolutely masterful, with phrasing fit perfectly to the lyrics, and with this sort of dangerous edge to it. An incredibly evocative voice, with a sort of dark shamanic power. It started me thinking about the voice as a weapon, from everyday life and how we can so deeply cut into people, to magickal practices, summonings, rituals and so forth," says Ria Aursjoen.
"David Kruschke and I played with the idea of a sort of summoning, or perhaps a sort of ecstatic possession… in it, I discover a mask that seems to be a gateway to - or for - something. Apollo is the god of music and poetry, of course, but also the god of prophecy and that altered oracular state."
These ideas all relate to this collection of work as AURSJOEN, which heralds Ria Aursjoen's emergence in a new direction, without leaving behind her ongoing work with Octavian Winters. Lush, layered and sweepingly cinematic, this dynamic slice of ethereal gothica is dark and light in equal measure. While Aursjoen's voice and composition are distinctly recognizable and unique, the performances and sweeping arrangements somewhat recall Faith's work with Faith and the Muse.
"This record is very special for me, as this is the first time I have had free creative rein to release work that is entirely my own. I have always enjoyed collaborating with other musicians, but I had built up a huge amount of my own material that had nowhere to go. It's very exciting and fulfilling for me to bring all that together into one package. The listening arc of this EP represents many different times of life for me. William Faith and I have woven everything together with a recognizable sound that has continuity as well as variety.," says Ria Aursjoen.
"What I really love is to create music that is more than the sum of its parts, where the interplay (either harmonically or rhythmically) between different motifs gives birth to something extra, something "meta" that you can't predict or engineer. I think those two states of feeling did that in my life too… a different self, a new era was born for me out of that ice and fire."
As someone who has synesthesia, Aursjoen experiences sound as visual structures, colours and textures. As a child, she wrote her musical ideas down in a unique system of notation she created, based around her visual perceptions of music. A published writer and visual artist, Aursjoen also won two national art competitions by eight and illustrated a children's book. She creates much of Octavian Winters' artwork and currently works with inks and parchment velum to create palimpsest-style art.
The 'Strand' EP is out now digitally everywhere, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp.
All songs written & performed by Ria Amenti Aursjoen
Arranged by Ria Aursjoen and William Faith
Guitars on 'Lilypad' & 'Apollo' by Stephan Bryan Salit
Produced, recorded, mixed & mastered by William Faith at 13 Studio in Chicago
Published by Airdaughter Music BMI
Released by Stratis Capta Records
Cover artwork by Ria Aursjoen
Videos filmed by David Kruschke
Special appearance by Steve Devaney
Mask provided courtesy of Steve Devaney
EP TRACK LIST:
1. Nytår
2. Apollo
3. Lilypad
4. Suns of Tomorrow
5. For Want Of
6. Strand
