This is the second full length album release from the Sheffield-based band New Ghost, led by Chris Anderson, following on from 2019’s New Ghost Orchestra. In their Bandcamp biography they are simply described as a ‘rock’ group but the use of that generalist tag may just be down to the fact that they don’t naturally fit into any particular genre. The local press describes the band as ‘effortlessly switching from shoegaze to dreampop, from art-rock to post-rock’ and I can re-assure the Progressive Aspect folk that they also have an ear for developing long-form, cinematic music that ‘effortlessly’ connects with the prog-sphere.
Although this album had its talons in me from the first listen, the reasons for that are not easy to pin down. Like all of the best progressive music, the album signals its charms immediately whilst it also maintains its mystery. The story that the music tells is coherent, but it is also ambiguous; the music itself is beguiling and unpredictable. There is certainly a shoegaze vibe about the band’s signature sound that recurs throughout and binds the pieces together, but there are also subtle changes in dynamics that change the emphasis from rhythms to melodies and from instrumentation to voice. Just when the listener is settling into one groove, another one comes along. And it is all managed superbly so that each piece has the time and space to develop its own character.
The introductory overture is an Anathema-esque dreamy soundscape with whispered, melodic vocals switching between male and female voices (Chris Anderson and Ellie Richards), under-pinned by a repeating electronic percussive pattern. These are not new sounds by any means, but for me it has an immediate attention-grabbing charm and creates an intrigue that a story is about to unfold. The lyrics are hard to pick up in the mix, but when they are pieced together, they reveal the true nature of the subject matter, namely the hazardous tightrope we travel along between life and death and the emotional and psychological impacts when we face the kind of peril that could tip the balance.
As it happens, A Dagger In Every Tide was written in the wake of a near-death experience, the catalyst which infused the record with a sense of loss and urgency. It also provided a narrative thread which weaves throughout the record, with the “narrator” imagining their death and then searching for a long since deceased loved one in an afterlife buried away in their subconscious. After setting the scene, the band launch their ‘wall of sound’ – layered guitars, plenty of reverb, elegant and powerful bass lines and hard-hitting drums. In the background, light touches of keyboards and percussion provide an exciting contrast. If these two dynamic and mightily impressive indie rock songs, Cherry Violence and Over are the signature sound of the band, what follows is an exploration, a progressive exploration, that provides alternative settings for songs and in my opinion, sets New Ghost apart from the norm.
Dreamsong is a song full of drama and packed with interest. Unusual vocal lines, jangly guitar, wild distortion and a gentle melodic closing section make for a transitory five-minute rollercoaster ride. Viscera sees the band framing the song in a more conventional format, opening with a verse/chorus section sung over a rhythm punched out by the ‘wall of sound’. The second half takes the main melody and sets it amongst several quickfire segments full of surprises. Then, arguably the centrepiece of the album, Red & Blue combines all the best elements of the band in a free-flowing, multi-section epic. When shoegaze meets prog? It’s not exactly the ‘rhythm of love’, more the ‘rhythm of introspection’, but it works for me.
After such a rollicking ride provided by the first six tracks Wayfarer is a welcoming, restful pop song, sung beautifully by Ellie Richards, over an ambient electronic soundscape. The lyrics continue the main theme of loneliness and isolation, but this is more about contemplation than recrimination. It’s a brief respite as All Endings turns the ‘wall of sound’ up to 11, delivering a bone-shaking crescendo, an organised chaos of noise. I’ll quote the lyrics in full here as they reflect the same poetic mayhem that pervades the backing track and represents the band at its extremity. It has been quite a journey and the ground that has been covered has been intense but also fascinating and hugely enjoyable.
I’ve run in place too long
I’m heavy water
I’m crystallised in form
Now severed hands will lower you down the well
Conjure me the ones
We’ve lost
Early warning
Any fool would take
Your in a world that swallows you whole, alone
Call the search off
It’s calling your every debt to close
It is only fitting to close the album with a fitting coda and a final soundscape to calm the emotions. Slow is the antidote to the maelstrom that preceded it and marks the narrator’s final redemption.
It is rare to encounter music from a completely alien subset or genre that immediately triggers a favourable reaction. This is a beautifully discordant album that manages to stay true to its core elements but also brings in all the right kinds of influences to enhance the final production and reach a stunningly new high level.
TRACK LISTING
01. Like Lazarus (2:42)
02. Cherry Violence (6:42)
03. Over (6:31)
04. Dreamsong (5:09)
05. Viscera (6:30)
06. Red & Blue (7:29)
07. Wayfarer (4:34)
08. All Endings (5:29)
09. Slow (4:54)
Total Time 50:00
MUSICIANS
Chris Anderson –
Taran Ali –
Nic Bowden –
Gareth Hughes –
Ellie Richards –
Joe Richards –
~ With:
James Borrowdale – Additional Guitars
Julie Clarkson – Additional Vocals
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: U.K.
Date of Release: 6th September 2024
LINKS
New Ghost – Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram