Exploring the Depths of Nordic-Infused Ambient: Ship Says Om and Emma Lucia Unveil Collaborative EP Djuphjärtad

The intersection of ambient experimentation and traditional Nordic folk sensibilities has yielded a compelling new sonic landscape through Djuphjärtad, a collaborative four-song extended play by Bay Area-based ambient project Ship Says Om—led by Jenny Gillespie Mason—and singer-songwriter Emma Lucia. Released via Native Cat Recordings, the independent label founded by Mason in 2010, the project bridges two distinct artistic backgrounds. By combining organic instrumentation, field recordings, and synthesizers with ancient Scandinavian vocal traditions, the collaborators have crafted a meditative record that draws stylistic comparisons to established ambient and dream-pop acts such as Stina Nordenstam, Sofie Birch, Cigarettes After Sex, and The Books.

The Genesis and Collaborative Framework

The partnership behind Djuphjärtad marks a departure from traditional industry networking, rooted instead in an existing local friendship within the San Francisco Bay Area artistic community. For Mason, who operates primarily under the moniker Ship Says Om, this project represented her first formal collaboration with a close friend from her everyday life rather than a purely musical acquaintance.

The creative process began organically when Emma Lucia supplied a series of a cappella vocals and stripped-down acoustic guitar demos. This initial exchange established a foundation of creative trust, granting Mason the autonomy to construct layered, atmospheric soundscapes around Lucia’s voice. In shaping these tracks, Mason sought to amplify the crystalline purity and ancient resonance of Lucia’s vocal delivery by integrating physical percussion—such as shakers and bells—alongside acoustic guitar, piano, and environmental field recordings.

Shared Heritage and Ancestral Influences

Throughout the production process, both artists noted a profound connection to their shared Swedish lineage, which manifested organically in the music’s aesthetic. Mason reported a persistent subconscious impression of the word "Sami"—referring to the indigenous people of Fennoscandia renowned for their deep connection to the land—while processing Lucia’s vocals. Upon discussing this with her collaborator, it was revealed that Lucia holds Sami heritage and that the melodies of ancient Scandinavian folk music heavily inform her songwriting framework, alongside a childhood background in Swedish pop music.

This cultural backdrop extended into personal narratives from Lucia’s upbringing, including childhood experiences of navigating snowy landscapes associated with traditional reindeer herding. These biographical elements paralleled Mason’s own strong Swedish ancestry and her familiarity with the Nordic region, fostering an intuitive ancestral resonance that both musicians credit as a driving energy behind the record’s atmospheric depth.

Track-by-Track Breakdown: Crafting Djuphjärtad

Ditt Hjärta

Serving as the opening statement of the EP, "Ditt Hjärta"—translated from Swedish as "I am holding your heart"—began as an a cappella vocal recording supplied by Lucia. Seeking to build an organic yet textured environment around a vocal line she perceived as a guiding beacon, Mason utilized hardware and software synthesis with specific criteria. Rejecting conventional ambient cliches, she sought jarring or rough textures that could be harmonized within a softer framework.

This search led to the integration of the "Escher’s Drum" patch from Omnisphere, which acts as a tender, horn-like call-and-response element throughout the composition. By fragmenting Lucia’s vocals into a flickering presence that evolves into a sustained mantra, supported by the nuanced chords of the Orchid synth introduced at the 1:20 mark, the track establishes an emotional core.

From Lucia’s perspective, the transition from her original Nordic drum arrangement to Mason’s production transformed the piece into an auditory forest walk, utilizing subtle bird and owl soundscapes to invite emotional introspection.

Feel Your Eyes

The development of "Feel Your Eyes" involved a significant stylistic pivot. Initially conceptualized as an energetic, dance-oriented composition anchored by a Korg Volca drum machine beat, Mason realized that traditional rhythm patterns detracted from the core emotional resonance of Lucia’s vocal performance. Consequently, the track was progressively stripped down until it functioned more as an ambient sound-sculpture.

The production incorporates a pre-recorded thunder sample to complement the lyrical theme of romantic longing. Adding a layer of domestic intimacy, the intro features the voice of Mason’s ten-year-old son offering words of encouragement ("You got this") captured during studio sessions, which was subsequently reversed and processed through audio effects. Percussion elements like "magic wands" and confetti bells were layered into the mix, concluding with a brief coda referencing the original Volca rhythm.

Lucia noted that the song originated from a guitar-plucking pattern designed to mimic the cyclical, push-and-pull movement of ocean waves. This rhythmic motion serves as a metaphor for interpersonal longing and the persistent awareness of a distant companion’s presence, which Mason’s thunder and acoustic textures help contextualize.

Water Prayer

"Water Prayer" continues the thematic exploration of natural elements, originating from an a cappella performance characterized by a majestic, fluid, and near-chant-like vocal delivery. Aiming to construct a distinctly aquatic sonic environment, Mason incorporated field recordings of oars moving through water—manipulated via Ableton’s "Disharmonics" filter for tonal distortion—alongside evening bird recordings captured in Los Angeles’ Highland Park and a traditional Yoruba hand drum sample.

For Lucia, the vocal arrangement was an intentional nod to ancient Scandinavian humming and vocalizing traditions. The resulting blend of natural acoustics and synthetic processing elicited a strong emotional response from the songwriter upon first hearing the finished mix, embodying a balance of peace, gentleness, and underlying power.

Keep Me

The closing track, "Keep Me," relied on the preservation of primary stems supplied by Lucia, consisting of her vocal performance and acoustic guitar tracking. Noting a structural resemblance to acoustic pop acts like Kings of Convenience, Mason sought to inject layers of soft dramatic tension to match the direct vulnerability of the romantic lyricism.

To achieve this, Mason chopped up an organic tribal drum sample sourced from Freesound, pairing it with the expanding synth texture "Moons of Jupiter" from Omnisphere. A propulsive bass synth, "Moon Fall" from the Arturia Minifreak, was added to introduce an edge to the otherwise soft arrangement. The dramatic arc is further emphasized by Orchid synth chords and supplementary background vocals, culminating in an understated release featuring an unexpected whistle melody.

Lucia reflected that the track addresses the emotional exposure inherent in new romantic connections—a duality of potential joy and heartache. She commended the inclusion of rolling wave audio samples at the track’s onset, viewing water as an apt metaphor for the soothing yet potentially volatile nature of human affection.

Broader Industry Impact and Availability

The release of Djuphjärtad highlights the continued viability of independent, cross-continental, and cross-genre collaborations within the contemporary ambient and folk music sectors. By leveraging digital file-sharing to merge organic field recordings with avant-garde electronic sound design, Ship Says Om and Emma Lucia demonstrate how regional folk traditions can be recontextualized for modern listening formats.

The four-track EP is currently available for purchase physically and digitally via Bandcamp through Native Cat Recordings, alongside availability across major digital streaming platforms including Tidal, Spotify, and Apple Music.