Generifus is the long-running project of songwriter Spencer Sult, who today is sharing Best Of, a collection encompassing twenty years of songwriting released via Perpetual Doom. Coming up through Olympia, where projects like Generifus have been acclimated to the ever-shifting scenes, Sult still manages to craft his own path through the years, building up a project of fulfillment and joy as he now reflects on his time sharing music.

I first became privy to Generifus after 2023’s release, Rearrangle, when digging through the catalog of Butte’s Anything Bagel and Portland’s Bud Tapes on their split release. This record became a haven of connections, a collection of formative stories that lived full lives within these lighthearted tunes. But with each release over the years, Sult’s words have stuck with both fondness and experience, like snacks for the road and change in your pocket, something to hold on to for when you need it most. With albums like 2012’s Back in Time or 2016’s Peace Sign Rising, his writing became rooted in both placement and perspective, where the minor moments of joy, confusion, heartbreak and clarity become a reflection point that we can all anchor to. With such a deep catalog to explore, Generifus paints a picture much larger than we can initially take in, but Best Of is an album built on gratitude, understanding the role in which sharing music has played in his life, and offering a space to look at how far he has come. 

We recently got to ask Sult a few questions regarding the Best Of release, reflecting on his career and sharing music for two decades.

This interview was conducted over email

What does it mean to you to have such a long-term project? Did you foresee the longevity in this curation and creativity when you were starting out back in 2005? What made you keep returning to this little world you have constructed?

Having such a long running project makes me proud and also gives my life meaning, as the project and my life are pretty completely intertwined after 20 years. When I was starting out, I did not foresee anything in particular. The project began as mostly instrumental and ambient, I had no idea I would even learn to write songs or sing at that point. Once I started playing shows, things progressed gradually and everything I did from then on made sense under this project name. I sought advice about potentially moving to performing under my own name around 2019, but it didn’t seem to be a smart move based on the body of work I had already created as Generifus.

Looking back now at your catalog, are there any risks or shifts that you tried out and can look back on with fondness as a memorable moment in the project’s history? And vice versa, anything you can look back at and maybe laugh at and be okay leaving in the past? 

Both in recording and live performance, starting to collaborate with other people on my music has been the biggest and most rewarding shift. I believe that listeners can recognize my music regardless of who’s playing with me, based on the mood and my presence, but many of my favorite moments on records are those played by others. My song “Wouldn’t I” where I rap a bridge is a bit silly and caught in a certain moment where I was trying to interpret Young Thug and Gunna in the way that Kyle Field had with Lil’ Wayne. It is slightly embarrassing now. 

What sort of things were you discovering about yourself and the stories you were writing from as you were starting out? Has that lens shifted as you got older? Are you able to make sense of a path or linear growth through your catalog as you look back on it now? 

When I was starting out, I relied heavily on imagery and metaphor for my songwriting content. Over time I felt more comfortable including personal references, while never being fully confessional or self-referential. The sweet spot that I have found success with has been to create vague but recognizable imagery coupled with specific relatable details. I think that the variety of songs has grown and changed along with me, not necessarily linear but definitely always shifting.

What were the conversations around creating a ‘Best Of’ album for Generifus? That practice feels rare these days, more of something you would pick up in an old CD collection. Does that nostalgia factor play into this release at all for you?

I had some great Best Of and Greatest Hits CDs such as Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac and they are always a good entry point for any artist. Especially those who may not have physical music in constant print. Nostalgia was not a huge factor in deciding to work on this release, but I did want to create a good starting point for my large back catalog. 

How did you go about choosing which tracks best fit this momentous project? 

To choose the tracks for this album, I started with my Olympia-era releases as the earlier material was somewhat rough and not as memorable. I picked songs that were performed often, ones that I’ve received lots of good feedback on, some that have amassed relatively higher streams on Bandcamp and other streaming services, and some that were favorites of the band to play live. I tried to spread the tracklist pretty evenly from those albums from 2009-2023. 

Beginning the project back in 2005 with a handful of self-releases, and then continuing on, working with new people, friends and labels more frequently, how did this project shape the way you approach collaboration and relationships, both in and out of music? 

Relationships formed from musical collaboration are so important to me. When I listen back to the Free Ways album, for example, I think about the fun times we had recording it in Anacortes as much as the songs. I’ve toured and hosted shows, and made music with so many people over the years. This is the basis of my social life and most of my relationships. While there hasn’t been a ton of outside recognition or material success from playing music, the moments created and bonds formed have given my life deep meaning and significance. 

You can listen to Best Of anywhere you find your music as well as purchase a cassette via Perpetual Doom.

Written by Shea Roney | Featured Photo by Sarah Cass