Gillian Stone shares her latest single, “The Throne”
Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist and interdisciplinary folk-drone artist Gillian Stone has unveiled her single, “The Throne.”
Stone describes her thoughts behind the track,
“‘The Throne’ is a vocally-driven post-rock/drone folk/indie folk song. As an allegorical love song, it is about a mercurial mind grappling with the Acceptance of a helping hand, an open heart, and a kind love. The song juxtaposes true love and the waves of mental health; it is about noticing and learning how the two can coexist. “The Throne” came together in two pieces, with the first part being imbued with aloneness, and the second part with relational confluence. It is the fifth and final song on Spirit Photographs, representing Acceptance as the final stage of grief.”
Stone co-produced “The Throne” with experimental e-cellist and multi-instrumentalist Michael Peter Olsen (Zoon, The Hidden Cameras). Recorded at Union Sound in Toronto. The music video for “The Throne” was co-directed by Stone and Toronto filmmakers Emma Buchanan and Amir Heidarian.
“I wanted to recreate symbolism from the Rider–Waite Tarot, a deck I’ve been reading from since I was eleven, the imagery from which plays into the lyrics of the song. Earth is represented by the flowers and the pentacle in my crown, water by the cups and the lake, and air by the swords that dangle from my ears.” explains Stone.
Review
“The Throne” begins with a melancholic tune, which is soon accompanied by Gillian’s captivating vocals, which are obviously the track’s focus. For most of the song, Gillian’s voice is highlighted while the music continues to merge perfectly as if they are one.
At some points, the music takes the spotlight as it bellows out an intensity that can’t be ignored, but it’s not long before the vocals stand center stage again.
Toward the end of the track, everything becomes intertwined, resulting in a satisfyingly chaotic journey that ends in silence.
From start to finish, the lyrics are both enchanting and mysterious, such as “I think we’ll have a daughter, and name her by his father, I’m so afraid of the water, that I can’t afford to think.“
If you enjoy “The Throne” and her last singles, “Raven’s Song” and “Amends,” be sure to stay tuned for Spirit Photographs, out November 18, 2022.