New Ghost - “Dreamsong”
New Ghost have released “Dreamsong,” the first song from their new three track EP. I have a bit of a soft spot for shoegaze, so when I saw that hashtag, among the others, like dream pop and artrock, my ears perked up a bit. I enjoy the way that the genre transports the listener and this track is no exception.
As we begin our voyage, a mellow arpeggio aches out a melody amid a wash of cymbals that envelop drums with a nice punch to punctuate the smooth bass and we have lift off. The vocals enter with earnest, and if I’m getting it right, they start with: “Hope is just a storm, it blows a rope around your heart and then it’s gone.” (Forgive me if I got them wrong.) In any case, I’m convinced that this will be good and am all in.
The melody progresses beautifully and when the chorus arrives shortly after a minute, a fortress of sound appears, flooding the senses fully as the vocal shifts to a falsetto that offsets the change nicely. It’s a beautiful balance of power and grace. Somewhere along the way, a second voice emerges. As the second chorus ebbs and the tide shifts toward the bridge, the sound opens up and that voice repeats: “So much for planning your escape. I waited too long.” It’s a lovely passage with floaty feelings that give way to an unsettled bit of glitchy noise that enters as the song settles down for its ending, suggesting a seemingly intentional chaos that is subdued by the surrounding music. Ah, this is a beautiful sonic journey that is sure to satisfy.