Vancouver-based composer and musician Ruby Singh continues to challenge conventional music categorization with his latest innovative project, Celestial Libations. The album represents another bold step in Singh's ongoing exploration of spiritual and cross-cultural soundscapes.
Award-Winning Musical Innovation
Singh's experimental approach to music has earned him significant recognition in recent years. His vocal ensemble Ruby Singh's Vox Infold received the Spiritual Artist of the Year award at the 2025 Western Canadian Music Awards for their album Vox.Infold II. The same recording also garnered a nomination in the Global Artist of the Year category.
"The win was a bit of surprise, as I didn't think it was necessarily representative of that category," Singh admitted. "But the work was intended to be about the journey of the spirit, so there you go. I've never shied away from being a person of spirit and believing in their being something greater than just what we see and hear."
From Fungus Symphonies to Celestial Sounds
Singh's creative range extends far beyond traditional musical boundaries. In 2024, he won the Electronic/Dance Artist of the Year category for his Polyphonic Garden Suite II recording. That project utilized biosonification technology to transform electronic activity in plants, animals, and fungi into musical compositions.
The innovative work blended synthesized biological data with field recordings, keyboard arrangements, and animal vocalizations from species including wolves and orcas. This unique approach fundamentally redefined possibilities within world music genres.
Celestial Libations: A New Collaborative Vision
With Celestial Libations, Singh expands his artistic scope into new sonic territories. The album features his group The Future Ancestors alongside special collaborator Arthur Flowers, a 75-year-old American novelist, memoir author, and performance poet.
The compositions traverse multiple musical styles including blues and gospel, with songs like "Good God" exploring philosophical themes of divinity and higher consciousness. "I come from a long lineage of humans who have understood such things, as the origins of Sikhism talk about the interconnected, vibratory existence of the entire universe," Singh explained. "It seems like a natural extension to me. A lot of discussion around divinity went into this record."
Premiere and Performance Details
Celestial Libations will receive its premiere on November 21 and 22 at LOBE Studios, the high-tech immersive facility where Singh serves as artist in residence. The launch events will function as intimate listening parties for limited audiences, with tickets available through lobestudio.ca.
The album features contributions from several acclaimed musicians including Juno-winning singer Khari Wendell McClelland of the Sojourners, vocalist Holly Eccleston, oud and guitar player Gordon Grdina, percussionist Kenton Loewen, DJ Paul Finlay, and bassist Karlis Silins.
Through his ability to bring together diverse musical talents and explore unconventional sound sources, Ruby Singh continues to establish himself as one of Vancouver's most innovative and spiritually-grounded musical creators, consistently producing work that transcends easy classification while earning both critical acclaim and industry recognition.
