‘Graphite or diamond’ (G.o.d) refers to two drastically different materials that are derived from the exact same element – carbon. Depending on how you look at it, some may say one has more value than the other. Solo artist and multi-instrumentalist Sylis Ander uses the juxtaposition between graphite and diamond to illustrate how human suffering and insight are intimately connected – despite their appearance.
It’s a fitting perspective for Ander, who has a complicated relationship with sound. The Portland, OR-based self-taught musician was born with sensorineural hearing loss, which culminated in him losing half his hearing by his late twenties. In addition to this, he struggles with chronic tinnitus, which means that his hearing loss is also oppressively loud. The struggle to take part in conversations without having to read lips or pretend to hear became so arduous that he began to avoid conversations and the accompanying social discomfort as everything became quieter and his tinnitus became louder. The demands of taking part in the world around him were becoming unbearable, and Ander began to feel increasingly disconnected as his mental isolation worsened.
His new single “G.o.d.” captures the moment when all that began to change for Ander as he was fitted with hearing aids for the very first time and two worlds collided – one in which he realized the extent of his hearing loss and another where he was hearing the world with life-changing clarity. He was contending with his encroaching deafness while hearing the world more “normally” for the very first time. “G.o.d” captures, in sweeping brevity, the idea that we can cultivate growth and awareness from our suffering, visited through the microcosm of his renewed hearing, the reinvigorating connection to the world, and the emotional peacefulness he found in reclaiming sound.
Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the new single, which is officially due out this Friday, August 14th. Brimming with light-hearted guitar and dream pop vocals, the song is reminiscent of artists like Paul Simon, Luna and The Shins. There is a bouncy feeling of joy that comes across, and Ander manages to convey the emotion that one can only imagine comes from suddenly gaining a full sense of hearing after years of functioning without it. Their is a buoyant brightness to the music and it’s intriguing to hear the way Ander translates this profound experience into a moving piece of infectious power pop.
Sylis Ander explains the inspiration behind the song in his own words:
“’G.o.d.’ (short for ‘graphite or diamond’) came together at a defining moment in my life. I was in a difficult place with my ever-declining hearing; its silence was becoming isolating, overbearing, exhausting and terrifying. It was increasingly difficult to cope conversationally, socially, and mentally. At the same time, I was finally able to save up enough money for my first set of hearing aids which was one of the most profound, wonderful, and memorable experiences of my life. In short, it was overwhelming. I’ll never forget hearing the rain, the birds, or the soundscape of a grocery store for the very first time. There was a newfound – practically supernatural – dimension to my surroundings. I could finally hear what had always seemed so far away. I felt connected to the world in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I was no longer avoiding conversations in order to escape the awkward discomfort that often came with them. My struggle no longer felt so chronic and life became less about coping and more about simply living.
Each verse tells the story of my life before getting hearing aids while each chorus is about my life after hearing aids. Throughout the chorus’ and by the end of the song, I try to shift my perspective, accept things as they are, and appreciate what I do have – including whatever hearing still remains. To me, the mood of the song seemed fitting for the dichotomy of emotions that came with realizing the extent of my loss while appreciating what had just been given back to me.”
LISTEN:
