Montreal-based art-folk artist Aistis returns with the new album Caviar For Seagulls, a sweeping, cinematic dive into self-reckoning and poetic introspection through warming piano led soundscapes.
Known for his evocative lyricism and intricate arrangements, the Lithuanian-Canadian songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist expands his sonic world, crafting his most ambitious record yet. Displaying rich musicality across the record with layers of piano, guitars, strings, bass drums and brass, the album blends into elements of jazz, folk and alternative-rock whilst retaining a central sound comparable to the likes of The Beatles, Sufjan Stevens and even at times the more recent work of Arctic Monkeys.
On Caviar For Seagulls, he walks the corridors of memory and regret, peeling back layers of self-deception in search of truth. Inspired by Old Hollywood orchestrations and classical composition, the album brims with lush string arrangements, pedal steel flourishes, and woodwind interludes, punctuated by warm organ swells, Mellotron textures, and brass accents. Each track unfolds like a short film—distinct yet interconnected—drawing listeners into a fragmented journey of introspection.
Lyrically, Aistis wrestles with isolation, nostalgia, and the weight of past choices. ‘Nothing Here Ever Changes’ captures quiet resignation, while ‘Rejoice’ bursts with cathartic release. ’86/Dove’ pays homage to Leonard Cohen’s poetic wisdom, and ‘The Inpatient’ strips things down to interrogate the limits of empathy. Throughout, Aistis navigates the tension between suffering and hope, ultimately landing on the possibility of redemption: “A part of me believes the best is yet to come.”
Recorded at The Treatment Room in Montreal with engineer Gilles Castilloux and co-producer Niall Mutter, Caviar For Seagulls is Aistis at his boldest—an artist unafraid to explore the depths of his own mind, yet still searching for the light. Following the critical acclaim of Clay (2024)—which earned regular SIRIUS XM rotation and a spot on DOMINIONATED’s “50 Best Albums of the Year” list—Aistis continues to carve out his place in alternative folk, blending theatrical grandeur with raw emotional depth.
Listen below:
