"The Clairsentient" Christopher Jarvis Giving Hip Readers the First Chance to Hear His New Tunes

Last year when Phantasmagoria called it quits I was pretty bummed for two reasons. One, because I loved going to their shows and seeing them live. Two, because I had finally learned how to spell the bands name without looking it up. So, naturally being a fan, I have been waiting to see what Chris would do next.

After putting out a couple of singles over the summer he is finally ready to release his first album on his own called The Clairsentient. The Urban Dictionary defines this term as “an individual who perceives (as in a "sixth-sense") by feeling or having knowledge about an object. Like a radar detector, a clairsentient possesses the internal power to see and feel radiation from objects that are invisible and out of site”. Maybe this is why I love this album so much.

The first time I listened to it was in surround sound at the gym. It took me into another world and made me forget about the fact that I was running and lifting. It felt like I was experiencing the music and not just hearing it.

Now that he's proven himself as a solo artist, it's time to go out and see Chris perform live. He has three upcoming shows where you can come out and experience his music for yourself. First, he will open for Shigeto this Saturday at the Magic Stick. Then, he will play his album release at the New Dodge on the 17th and then he will be featured in between sets at the Hip In Detroit 2nd Anniversary Party at The Loving Touch on February 1st.

We asked Chris a couple questions about the new record and his upcoming gigs. Check out what he has to say and get the first listen to an exclusive new track from Chris featuring  Mr. James Linck and SelfSays. The new track is called "Dreams of Falling" and you can hear it  here.

The rest of the album will be out in the next week or so. Follow Chris on SoundCloud to be the first to know!

Hip In Detroit- Would you rather have us call you Ancient Language or Chris Jarvis, we've seen you use both?
Chris Jarvis- " I’m just using my real name for right now, but that might change in the future, I change my mind a lot."

Hip In Detroit- Why did you name your album The Clairsentient?
Chris Jarvis- "Because it’s my super power, and my curse."

Hip In Detroit- How long did it take your to write and record this album?
Chris Jarvis- "I’ve been working on most of it for the past year or so."

Hip In Detroit- Tell us about the collaborations on the album, including songs with James Linck, Doc Waffles, Doc Illingsworth, and SelfSays.
Chris Jarvis- "Well when I was making the album I was at a really hard time in my life. A long relationship of mine just ended, my band broke up, I was really broke, I got mugged, totaled my car, my best friend was hospitalized. I was putting all these emotions into my songs and it got really hard to work on them because they were so personal to me. They reminded me of how I was feeling when I wrote them. So I invited friends of mine to collaborate on some songs so I could get a little space and have fun with it. Not that I don’t have fun making music, it’s my favorite thing to do, but this album is very dark compared to the rest of my music, at least emotionally. I hope it’s not depressing. To me it’s like the feeling of being in a deep, dark hole and you’re crawling out, and it’s slow and hard but there’s hope. Did I really just compare my album to a deep dark hole?"

Hip In Detroit- Tell us about you gig this Friday with Shigeto at the Magic Stick.
Chris Jarvis- "It’s going to be great. I’m opening for Shigeto and Chrome Sparks, two friends of mine that are big inspirations to me."

Hip In Detroit- You recently left Michigan for a few weeks. What did you miss most and what did you miss least?
Chris Jarvis- "I missed my roommates and my cats the most. I missed the cold weather the least."

Hip In Detroit- What's your New Year’s resolution?
Chris Jarvis- "I didn’t really make one, but if I had to say it would be to learn more, write more, read more, meditate more."

Hip In Detroit- What do you think makes the Detroit music scene special?
Chris Jarvis- "I’m not sure if it is special, it’s the only one I know."

Hip In Detroit- Tell us about the lineup for your album release party on January 17th at the New Dodge?
Chris Jarvis- "It’s going to be Doc Waffles, Eddie Logix, Mister, Emily Rose, Pastel Arsenal and some other special guests."

Hip In Detroit- Where do you see yourself a year from now?
Chris Jarvis- "I try not to think about it. Life is so unpredictable there’s no way to know. If I’m healthy and at peace everything else will figure itself out."

Hip In Detroit- You are performing at our two year anniversary show on February 1st. What other artists performing that night are you most excited about seeing and why?
Chris Jarvis- "Probably Tunde Olaniran because he’s the man and I like his dancers."

~S