AISTIS UNVEILS A CAPTIVATING TALE OF LOVE, LOSS, AND SELF-DISCOVERY WITH HIS LATEST SINGLE “PLATEAU BOTTICELLI”
Aistis, the enigmatic Lithuanian-Canadian singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, is set to release his latest single “Plateau Botticelli”, which is the first from his highly anticipated upcoming new album Clay. With an eccentric blend of wit, candor, and introspection, Aistis dives deep into the human experience, delivering a hauntingly beautiful narrative that resonates with audiences worldwide.
“Plateau Botticelli” serves as the cornerstone of Aistis’ forthcoming album, Clay, a profound exploration of love, conversation, illusion, ego, and pain. Crafted from his home studio while finishing the touches of a separate project made during the COVID years, the album emerged as a cathartic journey through the complexities of relationships and self-discovery.
Reflecting on the genesis of “Plateau Botticelli” and the creation of ‘Clay’, Aistis shares,
“What started as an exercise of inner-navigation and immediacy, very quickly morphed into a period of isolated and manic writing/recording at my home studio. Plateau Botticelli was the catalyst that opened the door to what became an 11-track exploration of love, conversation, illusion, ego, and pain, laced with humour, beauty, understanding, and the complete lack thereof, in a story that has no true beginning or end. To blur the lines of where reality and fantasy meet while using song to claw through and try to understand but ultimately acknowledge that the album becomes another artifact of a disillusioned story. It is my expression of the insurmountable love and gratitude that I have for and to this person, in the strangest, yet truest, way I can, with a wink and a nod“.
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Sure thing. My name is Aistis and I’m a Lithuanian-Canadian songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist originally from London, Ontario, currently based in Montreal. I make lyrically driven alt-folk music and on a good day, I feel like I could put in a solid 10 minutes a game coming off of the bench for the Toronto Raptors. I also enjoy cooking and eating very, very much.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
“Plateau Botticelli” was the first song I wrote/recorded/produced for Clay, an album that I initially had no intention or idea of making. I had been recording a separate album over the course of the COVID years and was nearing the completion of that project (which will now succeed Clay). During this time, I was simultaneously processing and navigating a wide array of confusing and complicated emotions regarding a relationship unlike any I had encountered before. What started as an exercise of inner-navigation and immediacy, very quickly morphed into a period of isolated and manic writing/recording at my home studio. Plateau Botticelli was the catalyst that opened the door to what became an 11-track exploration of love, conversation, illusion, ego, and pain, laced with humour, beauty, understanding, and the complete lack thereof, in a story that has no true beginning or end. To blur the lines of where reality and fantasy meet while using the song to claw through and try to understand but ultimately acknowledge that the album becomes another artifact of a disillusioned story. It is my expression of the insurmountable love and gratitude that I have for and to this person, in the strangest, yet truest, way I can, with a wink and a nod.
How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?
Each song is different and the way I arrive at a completed piece of work is ever-changing but the process usually involves a lot of archiving/collaging. Lyrically, I am always writing down things I see in the world that either make me laugh or I find interesting, bits of conversation that stand out, feelings, etc. Musically, I will most commonly sit down and play piano or guitar, and if anything sparks a visceral emotion, I will record a note of it. Usually, once I have melody and structure in place, I actually do a lot of my writing away from any instrument. At this point, I will start to think a bit more about what it is I want to write about, and often the direction stems from the seed of something I had written down before. I’ve always looked at songs within the framework of an album, so sometimes a certain song can spark and become the catalyst for a deeper exploration of a topic that will later become a full album. At this point, I’ll start experimenting in my studio and see where things go from there. Quality via quantity seems to be a big part of it also.
Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?
Lots to come with everything mentioned above. Stay tuned.
Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?
I find that it is all about the tiny victories and small wins when you’re in such a strange business. Each good show, kind message, hearing your song played on the radio, collaborating, and building relationships with other artists, all feel like new turning points and highlights. Lately, the way people have been connecting with “Plateau Botticelli” feels like another one.
Last but not least, it’s time to pay it forward, what upcoming band or artist would you recommend your fans check out?
Fine Food Market and her upcoming debut EP that I co-produced with Niall Mutter, Niall Mutter’s own songs, Nikolas L.B., Steel Saddle, Freida Mari, No Cosmos, Ivy Boxall, Grand Eugene, and Valse Frequence to name a few!