Review: New Ghost ‘A Dagger In Every Tide’
One of the most interesting bands I came across during my most recent visit to the Portals Festival back in May, amongst the whole plethora of other artists on display were Sheffield’s New Ghost. Relatively unheard of to me before this year’s event, I had been incredibly keen to see them perform, especially knowing their sound after a little exploration.
I had initially been captivated by Rectify, one of the band’s more recently released tracks, and was I hoping to get a rendition of this, along with other tracks for their upcoming album, so I made a point of being front and centre for their performance.
During the set, I was taken aback by just how interesting the band are, and ever since, I have been patiently waiting for the release of A Dagger In Every Tide, so when the opportunity arose to review it, I made sure I was in the running for it at Shaman HQ.
As I delved deeper into the world of New Ghost, I discovered that over the past five years, the band have been busy releasing little teasers of just what it is that makes them so special. After a couple of EP’s and taster tracks hitting the airwaves, now is finally time for the world to have New Ghost unleashed on it, and this has made me very happy indeed. With this album, which is made up of nine wonderous tracks, they have stepped in just when the musical world needs some new blood and are going to breathe a much needed bolt into the tepid heartbeat of the dying industry.
At first inspection, it’s easy to pick up on layers of dream pop and shoegaze, infused alongside a heavy smattering of alt-rock, but upon closer dissection, this is a far denser display of concepts, rich in body and filled with emotion.
Trying to explain their sound isn’t by any means an easy undertaking. The band fall into that little dark area between specific styles and have ended up alongside the likes of Midas Fall and several other contemporaries, where the vibrancy and scope in more than one direction, making for a uniquely versatile experience. Simply put, New Ghost is New Ghost, why bother trying to make comparisons to other bands and artists when what they do is so charmingly different.
As for the album itself, it is easily one of the most heartwarming releases I’ve heard this year. It isn’t abrasive, or offensive, but by the same token, it is in no way light and airy either. There’s an inviting feel to it, as if the band are welcoming you into their world and want to take you away on a supersonic journey with them.
If you want something that transcends classification and can be entwined with your very soul, it’s this album…
It’s an emotionally warm affair, the equivalent of the best kind of night out with friends, or discovering a new favourite band by complete accident while scrolling through YouTube looking for something that feels familiar, but at the same time all fresh and new.
This is the best kind of experience to have with music. It’s the feeling of the unknown, meeting that joy that comes from not only an appropriate happiness but more so a case of exceeding expectations with what unfolds during the opus.
Tracks such as opener Like Lazarus welcome us into their world, a universe of sonic luxury, where the otherworldly majesty takes centre stage. Right from the opening bars, the vocal is always beautifully displayed, whether it be solo or dual, it is as lavish as it is intoxicating. This, for me, is the fundamental backbone to the whole dynamic that the band has, and over the course of the whole album, whenever there is a vocal passage, it is always simply divine.
Cherry Violence, the second track, sets the benchmark for the New Ghost experience. Those rich dual vocals, dreamily floating over a backdrop of vibrant instrumentation and electronic fillers, provides a blanket of sound, unlike anything else I’ve heard in recent years. The same is true of Over, which goes one step further and parallels lights with darks in tone to maximum devastation. With beautifully woven aesthetics, it’s as refreshing as it is intense.
For an album which is so incredibly created throughout, it is near on impossible to highlight specific tracks, Dreamsong and Red & Blue for instance are lighter, dreamier and encompass the warmer, softer sound of the band. The use of dual vocals to create a paradox on both tracks is inspired. The thing is, with this band, you can sense that deeper thought process. These aren’t just nine throw-away tracks, quite the contrary in fact, the whole adventure has been considered from start to finish.
That isn’t to say there aren’t more abrasive moments throughout too. Viscera and All Endings hit at darker, harsher elements and it’s this play between easier and harsher which make this album such an engaging experience to have.
Ultimately though, if pushed for a snapshot of the band at their most enigmatic, then it’s track seven, Wayfarer, that steps out for me. This truly catches everything that New Ghost is, and even after repeated plays, it is here where I feel completely at home within my soul. Simply put, it’s just beautiful, from beginning to end. But then, the whole album is. If you want something that transcends classification and can be entwined with your very soul, it’s this album. Absolute class, beginning to end.
Label: Independent
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Twitter | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
