An Interview with Jonathan Ammons (S6 | E274)
Jonathan Ammons is a multifaceted artist from Asheville, North Carolina, known as a journalist, writer, radio DJ, producer, and musician. His music spans a range of genres including electronic, indie rock, ambient, and Americana. One of his notable works is the song “Someone Else’s Choice,” which is the opening track from his forthcoming album “Hymns of the Anthropocene.” His music often features a mix of atmospheric ambient soundscapes, reflective lyrical content, and a blend of electronic and acoustic elements.
Jonathan Ammons
The album “Hymns of the Anthropocene” by Jonathan Ammons is a concept record reflecting themes of societal and environmental collapse, human impact on the Earth, and a narrative arc that transitions from doom to hope. The lyrics are drawn from classic modern literature and collaborations with poets and songwriters, weaving together perspectives on climate change, civilization’s end, and resilience.
The sentiment of the album balances the darkness of apocalyptic subjects with moments of hope, illustrated by imagery of nature, change, and renewal. Songs explore stories like personal struggle, environmental devastation (“Lost Cause”), the ephemeral nature of life (“Endless Summer”), and philosophical reflections on change and existence (“God is Change”). Ammons’ vocal style is described as brittle, whispered, often accompanied by ambient textures and Americana influences, creating a soundscape that feels like a memento from the end of the world.
Why This Matters to Us
The lyrics emphasize a narrative of loss, survival, and cautious optimism about future regrowth, with intimate storytelling and poetic evocations of landscape and time affected by human actions. The album acts as a sonic documentation of the Anthropocene era’s challenges and transformations, mixing melancholic and hopeful tones
The term “Anthropocene” defines a proposed new geological epoch characterized by the dominant influence of human activity on Earth’s systems and processes. It marks a period in which humans have become the primary force shaping the planet’s bio-geophysical composition, leading to significant impacts such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and altered chemical compositions of soils, oceans, and atmosphere.
About the Word Hymn
A hymn is a type of song specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, typically addressed to a deity, deities, or a prominent figure. The term originates from the Greek word “hymnos,” meaning “a song of praise.” Hymns are devotional songs often sung in religious worship services by congregations, featuring a simple, metrical, and strophic form that makes them easy to sing collectively. They express reverence and are designed to unify worshippers through shared singing. While most familiar in Christian contexts, hymns also appear in many other religious traditions around the world
An Interview with Jonathan Ammons (S6 | E274)
